


Moorings Lost and Found

by queen_scribbles



Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: Gen, Happy Ending, Kidnapped by Pirates, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Platonic Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-20
Updated: 2018-02-20
Packaged: 2019-03-21 22:24:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 22,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13750431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queen_scribbles/pseuds/queen_scribbles
Summary: Some friends are worth risking everything for





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Pillars of Eternity MiniBang fic; I decided to explore what would happen if I actually made Emiri face the choice of which she values more, her freedom or her friends. Time-wise it's the beginning of Deadfire, but no real spoilers, I'm just using the Archipelago for my setting. [ Toni's fabulous art can be found here.](http://blueberrymess-art.tumblr.com/post/171107911084/my-illustration-to-depict-one-key-moment-from-my)

 

It was a good month for the unexpected, Emiri mused as she made her way through the bustling market. First a thought-dead god reappeared, inhabiting and animating the statue under Caed Nua . Then he tore his way out, destroying the fortress and killing everyone in it--very nearly including Emiri herself--as he did. And now she was back in the Deadfire Archipelago, the one place in Eora she’d expected--hoped--to never see again. Equally unexpected, though far more welcome, was the sight of the individual she’d glimpsed across the marketplace. She wasn’t the only one a long way from home. Smiling to herself, Emiri worked her way through the crowd until she was close enough to be heard. “Fancy meeting you here.”

The dark-haired elf did not all but jump out of his skin as she’d anticipated, but there was a decidedly defensive edge to his posture as he pivoted to face her. “Gods, Emiri, don’t _ **do**_ that!” The defensive stance relaxed into one of confusion. “What in Berath’s name are you doing here, anyway?”

“It’s good to see you, too, Aloth,” Emiri said with a laugh. “Especially since I haven’t known for sure if you were even _alive_ the past couple years. I thought you were going to write occasionally.”

“I believe my exact words were _when I can_ ,” Aloth corrected. “The past couple years have been… delicate, and I couldn’t risk it. I am sorry.”

“Apology accepted,” Emiri nodded, giving him a quick once-over. He looked good, all things considered; a little thinner than she remembered, but not enough to worry about. And he wasn’t pale as a ghost anymore, either, which was an improvement. “And I hope I didn’t mess anything up by approaching, but I’ve missed you.”

“The feeling is mutual, and no, you didn’t,” Aloth said with a smile. “Except perhaps shave a few years off my life. Which reminds me, you didn’t answer my question: happy as I am to see you, what are you doing here?”

She shrugged and flashed a wry smile. “God hunting.”

He blinked at her for a few seconds and shook his head. “Of course you are. I’m going to want more details, you realize.”

“I know.” Emiri bit her lip. Edér wasn’t expecting her back for another half hour at least. “You have time for a drink?” she finally asked, nodding toward a nearby tavern.

“For you, always,” Aloth nodded.

<<O>>

  
She didn’t go into too much detail as they nursed a pair of tolerable drinks, just the important things, like “ _Eothas tried to kill me_ ”, and the consequences of that chain of events that led to her being here. 

“What about you?” Emiri asked when she was done. “Has the Leaden Key really made it this far?”

“With everything we learned about them looking for Thaos, you can’t honestly tell me you’re surprised by that,” Aloth replied with a shrug. “They’re everywhere and in to everything, the Deadfire is no exception.”

“So I suppose you’re too busy to help an old friend hunt down the god who tried to kill her, then?” Emiri probed with a half-smile, idly noting the looks they were getting from a trio of rough-looking sailors a few tables over. She was used to it; when you were almost seven feet tall and part of your head glowed, you learned to ignore the curious looks. But rather than the typical furtive glance, one of these three--a burly redhead who was missing an eye--was flat-out staring, which made his attention a bit harder to brush off.

“Of course I’ll help you,” Aloth said, pulling her back to their conversation. “The Leaden Key’s not going anywhere, and given how they usually wind up entangled in anything to do with the gods, perhaps we’ll even deal with them along the way.” He gave her a curious look as he finished his drink. “Are you alright?”

She nodded. “Just… still shaken. And not used to people staring so openly.” A subtle motion toward the offending table. “I know it’s nothing, but it’s still throwing me off.”

“Then we can leave, if you’re uncomfortable,” Aloth said with a shrug, pushing back his chair.

“D’you have time to come back to the inn where Edér and I are staying? The Crested Wave, it’s only about five minutes’ walk from here.” She cleared her throat sheepishly. “If you don’t get distracted by the merchants’ stalls along the way…”

Aloth smiled as he detoured past the counter to pay, waving off her offers to cover it. “Sounds like the voice of experience.”

“Everything is so pretty,” Emiri sighed. “And it’s as good a distraction as any…”

  
“From what?” he frowned. Both of them squinted as they stepped back into the sun. A few other patrons elbowed their way past Emiri and Aloth, back to errands of varying importance.

“Remembering where I am,” she shrugged. “The pirates worked primarily in this area, even if they avoided some of the more ‘civilized’ areas, like this one.” She shook her head. “Just a lot of bad memories.”

“I imagine so,” Aloth nodded sympathetically as they started walking.

“I’ll survive,” Emiri said glibly, brushing hair out of her face. “I escaped the pirates, I’m sure I’ll be free of the memories eventually, too.” She frowned as they passed a vendor hawking mirrored baubles. It had been quick, but we was fairly certain she’d glimpsed the redhead from the tavern in the reflection off one charm. _Is he following us?_ Something didn’t feel right.

“What is it?” Aloth had noticed her concerned expression.

“I think we’re being followed,” Emiri murmured, being careful to continue her leisurely pace.

“Marvelous.” Aloth tucked his hair behind his ear. “Which one of us do you think has their interest?”

“No idea. I’d suggest splitting up to see who he follows, but that seems like a bit too much of a risk.”

“What if we take a less crowded route?” he suggested. “Our tail would stand out more with fewer people around.”

Emiri raised an eyebrow. “You sound like you’ve done this before.”

“Who says I haven’t?” Aloth said with a shrug, his fingers picking absently at the blue cord bracelet tied around his wrist.

“Can’t believe you still have that,” Emiri laughed, shaking her head as they veered down a side street.

He shot her a surprised look. “It was a gift. From my best friend. Of course I still have it.”

“I meant more I can’t believe it hasn’t broken.” She held up her arm, her own adra-green bracelet dingy and frayed, clearly mended at least twice. “Had t’ fix mine in a couple places.”

“Seems like it would be easier to just make a new one,” Aloth commented, tugging her elbow to pull her down an even more sparsely-peopled avenue.  
“Maybe,” Emiri conceded as she followed his lead. “But this is the special one, the one I made when I made yours. Nostalgia and all that.”

“Ah.” He nodded understanding before murmuring, “Our tail wouldn’t happen to be a tall fellow with red hair, would he?”

“Yeah. So I wasn’t seeing things… How’d you pick him out?”

Aloth nodded slightly toward one of the buildings they were passing. “Reflection in the window. He does stand out quite a bit.”

She snorted. “There’s an understatement. So, what do we do about him? Do we just want to lose him, or find out why he’s interested?”

“For now, I’d say lose him,” he said. “If we see him again some other time, then we can investigate further.”

“Sounds good,” Emiri nodded. Half a second later, a warning twinge shot across her senses. She flicked a hasty glance at a store window as they passed. Her gut tightened. “Aloth, I think he’s gone.”

“What?”

“He’s not there anymore.” She actually glanced over her shoulder to confirm he wasn’t there. That fast, what they’d been hoping for became the last thing they wanted. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

“As do I,” Aloth agreed. They both turned and looked toward where they’d last seen their shadow.

“Think he ducked down that alley?” Emiri suggested, pointing to the narrow opening between two buildings. 

“It seems likely,” Aloth said. He glanced up and caught her expression. “Emiri, you’re not seriously considering-”

“Yes, I am.” She was already headed toward the alley’s mouth, ignoring the ever-heavier knot in her stomach. “I want to know what his interest is in us, and why he’s working so hard to hide it now, when he was starin’ bold as brass in the tavern.”

“You are aware this could be a trap,” he pointed out, hurrying slightly to keep up with her long-legged strides.

“Even if it is, I _think_ you and I can handle one man,” she replied facetiously.  Something about the burly redhead had been unsettling in a way she liked even less than the usual ‘bad vibes’ miscreants exuded.

“I don’t have a grimoire.”

She frowned. “You always have a grimoire.”

“I didn’t expect to need one today,” he shot back tartly. “Of course, I didn’t expect to run into you either…”

Emiri snorted. “D’you have a dagger or a sword or something? This fellow doesn’t know your skill set. You could at least distract him long enough for me to knock him out.”

They’d reached the alley now, and Aloth sighed as he peered down its dimly illuminated length. “Of course I do. It’s foolish to walk around here completely unarmed.” He shot her a meaningful look. “Almost as foolish as pursuing this. If he’s following us, he’ll show up again.”

She shook her head, gazing down the alley. “I don’t want to chance it. There’s something off about him, Aloth, and I want to figure out what it is.”

He sighed again, heavier this time, slipping the dagger at his hip free of its sheath. “Then lead the way.” 

“You don’t have to-”

“Yes, I do,” he said grimly. “The only thing more foolish than us pursuing this is you pursuing it alone. I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to you.”

Emiri smiled and elbowed him gently in the ribs. “You’re so dramatic.”

Aloth eyed her skeptically. “Name one other ti-”

“Ionni Brathr.”

“That was different!”

“Yeah, that was life and death, this isn’t,” she countered. “Now, c’mon, before any chance of catching him is gone.”

“Because that would be a shame…” Aloth muttered as he followed her down the alley. Emiri ignored him, attention fully devoted to scanning the alleyway for their quarry. Behind her, she heard Aloth moving with equal caution.

Not that it mattered. The trio that emerged from the shadows struck with a swiftness and ferocity that spoke of long experience, and they had Emiri and Aloth both grappled before either could react.

Emiri didn’t even have time enough to focus properly before she was restrained by a female aumaua with a grip tighter than a steel trap and a male human built like an ox. Struggle seemed unwise, considering the third figure, a lean, wiry man with dirty blond hair, had Aloth’s arm twisted up behind his back and a wicked saw toothed dagger resting against his throat.

“I really thought you’d be smart enough not to take the bait,” comment a gravelly voice straight out of her worst nightmares.

Emiri tensed, every ounce of willpower she had fighting down her flight reflex. “And I thought you drown, but apparently you were sour enough the ocean itself spat you back out.”

There was a sardonic chuckle as the burly redhead stepped into view. “Ah, ya found some spirit over the last five years, didja? That’ll make things fun.” He smirked. “The hair threw you off, didn’t it?”

“You also had both eyes last time I saw you, Haefric,” Emiri growled, heart pounding. _Of all of them to survive, it would be **him**_ **.** “But I think it’s more the air of skulking cowardice.”

Haefric crossed the distance between them with two angry strides and grabbed her by the throat. “You’re awfully mouthy for someone whose friend has a knife to his neck.”

Emiri narrowed her, rage and panic twisting inside her. “Hurt him and I swear to Berath I’ll kill every. _single_. one of you!”

“Emiri-” Even with the tension of pain underlying it, the warning (plea?) in Aloth’s voice was clear. _Don’t get yourself in trouble for my sake._

 _Oh, I’m gonna,_ Emiri retorted silently. Their moment of wordless communication was interrupted by Haefric releasing his grip with a slight shove in order to pat Emiri’s cheek as if she were a small child.

“I know you’d _try,_ ” he smirked. “But you ain’t exactly in a tenable situation.”

“What do you even want with me?!” Emiri demanded, pulling slightly against the hands grasping her arms in frustration.

“You belong to the Crimson Path,” he said, as if it were the most obvious fact in the world. “Did you really think I would let a chance to reclaim our lost property slip through my fingers?”

“I am _no one’s **property**_!” Emiri spat. “And the Crimson Path are all _dead._ Except you, more’s the pity.”

Haefric snorted. “Unfortunately for you, _cipher_ , none of that’s true.” He nodded to the aumaua and beefy human and they released her. Simultaneously, the wiry blond tightened his grip, twisting Aloth’s arm until Emiri half-expected to hear one of the joints pop from its socket and pressing the knife even closer. The warning was clear. “The Crimson Path still exists, and you belong to us. You can make this easy or hard but you are coming with me.” He glanced at the aumaua-- “Naita” --and she pulled a pair of shackles free of her belt and handed them to him. “Your choice.”

Emiri’s stomach felt like lead, her wrists pulsing with phantoms aches as she stared at the metal bands. _Really should’ve listened to Aloth…_ “And… what happens to my friend when I do?” It was hard to keep her voice steady and face blank as she asked, especially when she caught the disbelieving protest writ large across Aloth’s features out of the corner of her eye. But she was trapped, options quickly narrowed to two. _Which one will you sacrifice, Emiri? Your best friend, or your freedom?_

And Haefric knew her predicament, she could see it in his eye as he smirked in vicious triumph. “Maybe I have Laki slit his throat so there’s no loose ends. Maybe we take him, too, t’ make sure you stay… cooperative.”

“No.” She shook her head, chin held high despite her pounding heart and the knot in her gut. “If I come with you, you let him go.”

“ _Emiri-_ ” Aloth began to protest, but Laki pressed his dagger even closer, sending a ribbon of red slinking down Aloth’s neck where it broke the skin.

She wanted to cry. Scream. Lash out and send all four of them cowering on the ground as the worst agonies--physical and otherwise--from their past filled their minds. But she couldn’t; if Laki so much as twitched wrong, Aloth was dead. And she couldn’t let that happen. So all she could do was listen to Haefric laugh, fingernails digging into her clammy palms in helpless frustration.

“You really think you’re in any position to bargain?” he demanded, crossing his arms.

“Consider it part of me making things easy,” Emiri shot back, hoping her voice didn’t shake too much. “Let him go and I’ll come with you.” She had to force the words past the lump in her throat.

“No!” Aloth protested, voice strained and overflowing with the same raging helplessness Emiri herself felt. “Emiri, _don’t_!”

 _I have to._ She closed her eyes to gather her courage, a thousand memories all screaming at her, and then fixed Haefric with a level stare. “Let him go, prove you have a _shred_ of decency, and I’ll come without a fight.”

Haefric pursed his lips as if thinking, but didn’t pause _nearly_ long enough for it to be anything other than a show before nodding. “Fine.”

Laki loosened his grip slightly as Emiri stepped forward and held up her arms. Panic tightened her chest despite every effort to fight through it. Haefric was grinning was he strode closer, watching her dart frantic glances at Aloth, and Emiri was suddenly afraid she’d made it too obvious what he meant to her. Naita stepped forward as well, holding Emiri’s arms still as Haefric fastened the shackles around her wrists. Once both had clicked securely shut, Laki let go of Aloth’s arm. The saw-toothed dagger stayed where it was, however, which made her uneasy.

“Haefric, I said let him go and I’ll come with you,” she said, tensing slightly as the beefy human and Naita moved to closely flanking positions.

“What if I don’t like this arrangement?” Aloth muttered, flexing his fingers and wincing.

“Aloth, don’t,” Emiri cautioned as hands grabbed her arms and Laki shifted his stance. _I can’t lose you, I **can’t.** I can’t have your ghost following me, too. That would be too much._

He fell silent, but his eye burned with a fury that said he really wished he had a grimoire right now, things would be different.

“You’re right,” Haefric said, smiling, in a smooth tone Emiri didn’t trust in the the slightest. “We did have a deal. Naita, Rangi.” He nodded and the hands on her arms grasped firmly, and Laki finally lowered his knife.

 _Don’t try anything_ , she tried to beg with her eyes. Aloth was practically vibrating with pent up anger, his hands curled into fists. One was looser than the other, his arm clearly hurting. This close to at least knowing he was safe as she went back to the place of her nightmares, she didn’t want him to do anything brave and noble that would make Haefric change his mind.

“Laki, you should give the man back his weapon.” Haefric was still smiling, but it was edging toward a smirk, and alarm bells tolled across Emiri’s sense.

Laki grinned. “Aye, Cap’n.” He sheathed his own blade and leaned down to pick up Aloth’s dagger from where he’d dropped it during the initial ambush.

This would be the moment to do something, Emiri thought sourly, if she wasn’t already in chains and being grappled by two folk definitely big enough to take her in melee combat. She twitched one arm and Naita tightened her grip to bruising strength. Laki straightened, grasping the dagger by the hilt, and the alarm bells grew louder.

With good reason. In a single quick, almost _casual_ move, he buried the dagger in Aloth’s side, twisting it slightly as it slid back out.

Emiri was screaming as she watched her best friend crumple, sobbing as she struggled against the steel talon grip on her arms, keening as she gathered all her rage and focus, intent on nothing beyond taking the lot of them down.

It didn’t work. Even as her thoughts crested and swelled, they twisted into a wave of nausea overpowering enough it took her to her knees.

Neat trick, eh?” Haefric gloated as Rangi and Naita hauled her upright. “I’m afraid you won’t be able to conjure any of your special tricks with those shackles on,” he smirked. “‘Tween the metals used and the enchantments on ‘em, they’ll make you pay any time you try.”

“ _Bastard!_ ” Emiri shrieked, and spat in his face.

“Pirate,” Haefric corrected smugly as he wiped away the spittle. “Much as I’d like to stay and make you watch your friend bleed to death, we have a ship to catch. My crew’s gettin’ antsy.”

“No! _No! **Aloth!**_ ” She fought and screamed as Naita and Rangi hauled her backwards after Haefric. Laki took up a rearguard position, making a show of wiping blood off his hands and the dagger on the hem of his tunic. The leaden knot in her stomach grew heavier, her breathing rapid through achingly tight lungs as she tried to look around him. “Aloth!”

But Laki deliberately kept himself in the way, so Emiri resigned herself to making a scene, screaming and sobbing as they dragged her toward the harbor, struggling as much as she could. She wasn’t expecting outside help; slavery was common on this island, and most folk turned a blind eye no matter how much fuss the victims made. But Haefric hadn’t kept his end of the deal, so she felt no compunction to make this easy on them. _He warned you. He said it was a bad idea and you did it anyway, and you got him killed. Real top-notch friend you are._

__

But even fueled by grief and adrenaline, she wasn’t a match for Rangi and Naita, and they easily steered her where they wanted her to go, and eventually they reached a large, weathered brigantine with a large red talon painted on the side, the deck buzzing with activity.

“Naita, Laki, put her in the midship cabin,” Haefric said as they boarded. “Rangi, help the rest a’ the crew prepare for our departure.”

“Aye, captain,” the three replied in unison. The big man let go of Emiri’s arm and the aumaua hauled her sideways before she could take advantage of the change. Laki half-drew his knife as he followed, making clear the consequences of trying anything.

Emiri still dug in her heels and resisted as Naita dragged her down the narrow passageway, the sights and smells dredging up memories she’d done her very best to bury. She fought them down the hallway, she fought them through the doorway when they reached the room, and if Naita hadn’t shoved her into the cabin hard enough she hit the far wall, she would have fought them on closing the door, too.

“Make sure you bolt that good and tight,” Laki muttered, glaring at Emiri through the barred opening as he rubbed the scratches she’d left along his cheek.

“I am, I am,” Naita retorted irritably, underscored by twin bolts and a padlock all fastening in turn. “Think Cap’n realizes we’re gonna hafta sell her?”

“Probably,” Laki said with a snort. “He hasta know she hates us enough we’ll be her first targets if  we ever take those shackles off.” He kicked the door one more time for emphasis as Emiri glared back through her tears. She refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her break down. And then they were gone, tromping back toward the deck.

It was as she stood there, waiting for their footsteps to fade, shaking with fury and sorrow both, that she noticed: somewhere in the struggling, strong-armed journey from that cursed alley to the ship, she’d lost her bracelet. The rough edges of her shackles dug into her wrists just enough to give her a pretty good idea what had happened. Not that, too...

And that was it. The final straw that drained all the fight and anger from her, leaving only the pain and grief of deep, searing loss. She sat down hard on the blankets piled in one corner, breath coming in ragged gasps as tears streaked down her face. _I’m sorry, Aloth. I should’ve listened to you, why didn’t I **listen** to you, none of this would’ve happened… _ She sniffled and swiped at her face as trickling tears turned into full-on sobs at the thought of him. _My fault. It’s my…. This is not what I wanted, gods, I **never** …. _She couldn’t even finish the thought, grief crashing over her like a tidal wave. ****Lacking the will to fight it, Emiri simply curled in a ball and wept


	2. Chapter 2

She was late. 

Edér ran one hand through his hair and mentally debated how much longer to give Emiri before he started to worry. It was well past when she’d said she would be back, and even her typical lingering at the various merchant stalls along the street couldn’t completely account for the delay. There were only so many innocent scenarios he could run through before the nagging concern won.  He was quickly approaching that point.

It only took two more paced laps around the room and a swallow of the ale he’d been nursing all afternoon before he was there. Muttering good-naturedly about Emiri and how easily distracted she was when it came to shiny things, he grabbed his cloak and yanked open the door--

\--And almost ran smack into a familiar face he hadn’t seen in years.

“Oh, good,” Aloth mumbled, sucking in a pained breath as he slumped against the wall. “Right room...”

“What in--” Edér shelved his original question in favor of a more pressing one when he notice the line of crimson spatters trailing down the hall. “Effigy’s eyes, are you  _ bleeding _ ?”

Aloth nodded, jaw clenched tight as he instinctively glanced down to where he’d pressed his hand against his side, blood trickling over his fingers. “...a bit, yes,” he managed.

Shaking off his initial shock and the plethora of questions that came with it, Edér tossed his cloak toward a chair and reached to help him into the room.Their height difference made it tricky, as did Aloth’s limited range of motion, but Edér did manage to get him to one of the beds without making him yelp in pain more than once. Not having anything better at hand, Edér tore off part of a sheet and briefly nudged Aloth’s hand out of the way to layer the fabric over the wound.  “There, you keep that on there an’ don’t die. I’m gonna see about gettin’ a healer.”

“Do… do m’best,” Aloth mumbled, managing a weak smile as he held down the compress, but he really didn’t look good.

Fortunately, luck was with them and one of the maids was walking down the hallway when Edér opened the door. She looked disturbed by the blood trail that led to his door, but he waved her over before she could say anything. “I’m real sorry about that, and I’ll straighten it out soon as I can, but right now, Leyla, my friend’s hurt pretty bad an’ needs a healer. Fast.” He held up a gold coin between blood-streaked fingers. “This is for you if you can get us a good one inside fifteen minutes.”

Leyla’s eyes widened and she nodded, almost dropping the basket of linens she carried. “Right away, sir!”

Edér watched her dart down the hall before ducking back into his room and kicking the door closed as he strode across the space once more to check on Aloth.

He was still conscious, which was good, but paler than Edér had ever seen him and breathing hard, which was not. Another wince tightened his features as Edér sat on the edge of the bed. “Emiri…”

“She ain’t here.” Edér shook his head. “Was actually about to go look for her when you showed up. She’s been gone awhile.”

“No…” Aloth pulled in a sharp breath as he shifted his grip on the cloth against his side. With a visible effort, he unclenched the fingers of his other hand. Resting on his palm was a crumpled, slightly blood stained, adra-green bracelet, the ends frayed. “Pi… pirates took her…”

“And they would also be what happened to you, I’m guessin’,” Edér muttered darkly, eyeing the small cut on Aloth’s neck. It was nothing compared to the hole punched through his side, of course, but Edér could only think of one likely way to inflict a cut like that( _ ‘specially in a place like this _ ), and anyone willing to hold a captive with a knife to their throat was absolutely capable of stabbing them and leaving them to die.  _ Prob’ly didn’t even need a reason. _ “But you can give me the whole story after you’re patched up an’ not, y’know, bleedin’ to death.”

“Charitable of--  _ ah _ !” Aloth grimaced, knuckles going white as he shifted wrong.

“Lemme see.” Edér tugged on Aloth’s wrist until he moved his hand, then peeled away both the piece of sheet and blood soaked shirt. He wanted to be able to tell the healer what they were dealing with, but he also had some experience--however limited in comparison--with a variety of injuries thanks to the war, and if there was something better he could be doing until help showed up, he wanted to know.

The wound wasn’t especially gruesome or large; just a deceptively simple stab wound, in the front and ever so slightly out the back. It looked like a fairly straightforward thing, fortunately in a position where it likely hadn’t hit anything devastatingly important. Least, far as he could tell. Of course, that still left bleeding to death as a concern, but at least it was an easier thing to deal with, and Edér had already been handling it the best way he could. He ripped off a fresh chunk of the sheet-- _ We’re gonna owe this place a small fortune _ \--and bunched it up to press against the wound to slow the bleeding. “Hey, Aloth?”

No response beyond the labored breathing of someone focused on staying conscious and not crying out in pain.

“ _ Aloth _ ,” Edér repeated, louder, both hands firmly pressed against the bunched-up sheet.

Aloth’s head jerked up and he blinked as if trying to focus. “Mm?”

“How long’s it been bleedin’ like this?” Edér asked, shifting position to apply more pressure.

“Don’t… know,” Aloth admitted through gritted teeth. A muscle in his jaw twitched. “I-I may have passed out…”

“Understandable,” Edér said with a sigh. “Won’t make you talk any more, I just wanted details t’ give the healer when they show up. But we can just make the bleeding stop, much as possible, and anything more’ll wait.”

Aloth nodded faintly, eyes drifting closed and a quiet whimper escaping as his fingers curled tightly back around Emiri’s bracelet.

<<O>>

 

It was what might very well have been the longest ten minutes of Edér’s life--including when Emiri was “seeing” what happened to Woden--before Leyla pounded on the door, healer in tow.

“This is Hanna,” she said breathlessly when Edér let them in, gesturing at the curly-haired woman behind her. “Hanna, Edér. His friend’s the one hurt.”

“Thank you,” Edér smiled, handing Leyla the promised coin.  “I’ll letcha get back to work.”

“No, thank _ you, _ ” Leyla replied as Hanna brushed past them into the room. She tucked the coin away and glanced down the hall. “I know what my first job’s gonna be now that I’m back,” she said wryly. “D’you have any idea how hard it is to get blood out of wood floors?”

“Pretty damn,” he said with a sympathetic smile. “Sorry ‘bout that.”

She shrugged gamely. “The hallway’s also going to smell to high heaven, I hope you realize. I’ll have lots of complaining guests. So the generous tip is appreciated.” She hesitated a moment, then added, “Hope your friend pulls through.”

“Yeah, so do I,” Edér nodded. “I won’t keep ya.”

Leyla bobbed a hasty curtsy of farewell and headed off, probably in search of cleaning supplies, and Edér turned back into the room.

Hanna was already perched on the edge of the bed, hair tied back in a fluffball of a ponytail, peeling away bloody cloth. “How long since the bleeding stopped?”

“I think about three or four minutes,” Edér replied. “Been a little busy to keep track.”

Hanna smiled as she reached into her bag. “I imagine so. How long was he bleeding before that?”

He shrugged. “Dunno. He showed up like this, said he passed out for a bit so he wasn’t sure when I asked.”

“Hm.” She unrolled a clean blue cloth across the nightstand, the contents rattling slightly as they settled. “And has he been unconscious since he got here or…?”

Edér waggled a hand back and forth. “In and out since the bleeding stopped. Mostly in. Only been out for not even a minute ‘fore you got here.”

“Well, that’s good.” Hanna moved with purpose across the room to the washbasin and quickly washed up. “And it’s probably just as well he’s not conscious now. Stitches aren’t pleasant.”

He snorted, half a dozen scars of his own tingling in memory. “Don’t hafta tell  _ me _ twice.”

She raised an eyebrow as she returned to the bed with the pitcher from the washstand, but didn’t pry. “I’ll probably need you to hold him still, if you’re up for it,” she warned. “Conscious or not, this is going to hurt.”

“Sure.” Edér sat on the opposite edge of the bed. _ Was he that pale before? _ “Whatever I can do to help.”

 

<<O>>

 

His help was indeed limited to holding Aloth still while Hanna stitched up the elf’s side with a speed and efficiency that spoke of long practice.

“He’s real lucky, you know,” she commented as she tied off the final stitch and snipped off the catgut thread. “Your friend.”

“Aloth,” Edér supplied, belatedly realizing he hadn’t mentioned that before.

“Aloth, then, is one of the luckiest folk I’ve ever seen,” Hanna reiterated, reaching into her bag for a roll of bandages. “Whoever stabbed him managed to catch the one place where they wouldn’t hit anything lethal. There’s muscle damage and blood loss to recover from, of course, but with sufficient rest he should be fine.”

“Thank you kindly,” Edér said with a sigh of relief. 

“Let him sleep ‘til he wakes up; that’ll help the healing process,” Hanna continued as she wrapped the bandages around Aloth’s middle. “Don’t let him get out of bed for more than a couple minutes at a time for at least two days. Three would be better. He could rip out the stitches, and I don’t know how much more blood he can stand to lose.”

“Got it,” Edér nodded, trying not to dwell on how  _ hard _ it might be to make Aloth rest depending on what had happened to Emiri. “How much do I owe ya?”

“Eight fennings,” she said, tying off the bandages and starting to pack away her supplies. “Thank you for helping, by the way. So often I have to shoo away any concerned friends or family because they’re more hindrance than help. But you made my job a good bit easier.”

“Not a problem,” he laughed. After a small amount of digging in the coin purse he and Emiri had brought, he came up with the correct amount for Hanna. “There ya go.”

“Thank you.” She counted the coin he handed her and tucked it in her bag as well. “Hopefully you won’t need me again, but if you do, anyone from the inn staff knows where to find me.”

“Good to know,” Edér said with a nod, following her to the door. “Any other instructions for takin’ care of him?”

“Rest, plenty to eat and drink, and you’ll probably want to have someone run out and buy more bandages so you can keep changing them, keep it clean.”

“Simple enough. Thanks again for your help.”

“Just doing my job,” Hanna smiled, giving a wave of farewell as she started down the hall.

“And a mighty fine job you did,” Edér muttered under his breath as he closed the door behind her. Rather than sit around twiddling his thumbs waiting for Aloth to wake up--gods only knew long that would be--he set about gathering all the bloody sheets, Aloth’s ruined  shirt, everything that would need to be disposed of, into a pile by the door. “We really are gonna owe this place a small fortune,” he murmured wryly, tugging the blanket slightly higher over Aloth. “Good thing bein’  Watcher of Caed Nua paid pretty well for ‘Miri…”

Finally, with everything as tidy as he could get it, Edér dragged a chair over next to the bed, sat watching Aloth breathe, and tried not to wonder what kind of mess Emiri had landed in.


	3. Chapter 3

_ Drip, drip, drip. _

Somewhere in the cabin serving as her prison, enough condensation had gathered to plink small droplets down on whatever was beneath it, but Emiri couldn’t muster the will to be annoyed by the repetitive sound. Almost a full day had passed since she was locked in, and the only interaction the pirates had initiated was someone dropping a waterskin through the bars on the door. She’d let it sit there for two hours before moving to claim it.

_ Drip, dripdrip _

The cadence changed as the ship rode up a wave. Emiri remained curled on her side, feet braced against the wall to keep from sliding. The ache of hunger had dulled quickly, as had the pain of shackles chafing against her wrists. Both were adjusted to far too easily. It should have frightened her, or at least been a cause for concern.

_ Drip, drip, drip. _

It didn’t, and it wasn’t. She had cried her way through every bit of emotion and self preservation instinct she possessed by the time the sun set. And still there had been more tears, still her heart  _ ached _ , with a hollowness she’d not felt before.

_ Drip, drip, drip. _

It was a little hard to focus on things like hunger and sore wrists when it felt like her heart had been ripped out of her chest and squeezed until it burst. She’d lost one of the strongest tethers she’d had in this world.

_ Dr- _

This time, the leak--wherever it was coming from--splashed off her halo and into her eye, and Emiri pushed herself upright, swiping at the offending burn of salt water. Even as she blinked to clear her vision, the door shuddered under the motion of the bolts being drawn back. 

She froze. Just sat on the pile of blankets, gaze fixed on a dent in the floor, and refused to so much as twitch in acknowledgement when Haefric walked in the room.

“Comfortable?” he said, and there was a mocking bite under the word. “This is a good sight better’n what y’had last time.”

Emiri stared stone-faced at the floor. It was better. She didn’t have to admit that.

“Bet you’re wonderin’ why I ain’t dead.” He laughed. “Either I proved too much for the Salty Wench or She took a likin’ to me.”

_ Yet more proof Ondra hates me, _ Emiri thought sardonically, keeping her expression impassive. 

“The shorter version would be I got tangled in the rigging as the ship went down, but the ropes caught on somethin’ and tore. I was far enough from the main wreck that I was able to get free an’ make it to the surface b’fore it woulda pulled me down. Managed t’ use a piece of wreckage to make it to shore and worked my way back to Deadfire, since bein’ a pirate suits me just fine. I signed with  th’ first crew that would have me, bided m’ time ‘til enough of the crew saw things my way and then mutinied.” His shadow shifted and Emiri pictured Haefric spreading his arms in a self-aggrandizing gesture. “I’m Crimson Path and always will be, so revived the name. An’ now I’m  _ Captain  _ Haefric of th’  _ Scarlet Claw _ , favored of Ondra an’ feared throughout Deadfire. Hafta admit, though, never thought I’d see you again.”

He stepped closer and Emiri focused hard on the dent.  _ More’s the pity that you did… _

Haefric reached down and forced her chin up so she met his eye. “But I did. And now I have you back where you belong.”

She just blinked apathetically, too tired and drained to be riled.

Haefric scowled and gripped her jaw with bruising fingers. “And now here’s what’s gonna happen,  _ moonchild _ \--” the old insult made her flinch internally-- “half my crew thinks you’ll try t’ kill us all the minute we take those shackles off. I’m more inclined to believe there’s only a few of us you want dead. But either way, you’re no good to me as a weapon anymore. In the interest of your acquisition not bein’ wasted effort or a lost… shall we say, _ investment, _ we’re heading Nahaua fast as we can. Someone at one of the auctions’ll pay a pretty pand for you.”

Even that knowledge didn’t spark the level of fear and trepidation it should have. The slave markets of Nahaua had a reputation for two things: literally cutthroat bidding wars over choice merchandise(you couldn’t win if you were dead), and absolute apathy regarding where the merchandise both came from and went. The Crimson Path had been a favored customer and supplier both last time Emiri was with them. She had no doubts Haefric would have revived those contracts when he rebuilt the crew. The only bright side to this situation was the possibility--slim as it was--that a different owner, one with no worry about their own safety, would be easier to escape than Haefric’s crew and their justified paranoia.

“Hey, moonchild.” Haefric jerked her chin side to side then back to a position to meet his eye. “I dunno what you’re daydreamin’ about, but I want you to get it through your head that when we get there, you do as you’re fuckin’ told.”

Emiri stared listlessly at the bridge of his nose.

He gave her face another shake. “You can do some little, harmless cipher tricks with those shackles on, t’ prove you’re genuine, without much consequence. When I tell you t’ show ‘em off, you do it. And no half-assing it. I know what you’re capable of. If you slack I’ll know it.”

_ So?  _ Emiri blinked at him in blatant disinterest.  _ What more can you possibly do to me? _

“And if you need persuadin’, well.” He shrugged and grinned. “Remember I did overhear you tell… what was his name…” The grin sharpened. “You’d think I’d remember; you were sure screamin’ it enough…” His gaze bored into her and Emiri realized he wasn’t going to continue, wasn’t going to _ leave, _ until she said it.

“Aloth.” It came out as a hoarse whisper, rimmed equally in pain and loathing.

“That’s right, silly me.” Haefric’s smile turned predatory. “I overheard you tell  _ Aloth _ where you and your other friend were stayin’. We can always kill him, too.”

_ Too. _ A flash of white-hot rage tore through her, muscles tensing to lunge at him and snap his neck. But she didn’t. He wanted her to try, to react, and depriving him of that satisfaction was all the reason Emiri needed to limit her reaction to closing her eyes and exhaling a sharp breath through her nose. He probably had men waiting in the passageway, ready to rush in and pry her off if she tried anything, anyway.

Haefric finally let go of her jaw to pat her cheek. “Just keep that in mind.” He straightened and walked away.

_ Drip, drip, drip. _

The leak echoed in the returned quiet. Emiri fought down the urge to pour her waterskin’s contents over her head to wash away his touch as the bolts slid shut again. Instead, she resumed her curled up position and started praying.  _ Whoever’s listening, please do a better job than last time and get us to Nahaua as fast as possible. I don’t want to spend a minute longer on this ship than I have to. _

_ Drip, drip, drip _ .

 

<<O>>

 

He was entirely too familiar with what death warmed over felt like. At least this time didn’t hurt.

_ Yet, _ Aloth corrected his subconscious as he tried to find the energy to open his eyes.  _ Nothing hurts  _ **_yet_ ** _. _ His whole body felt heavy, like it would take too much effort to move. He just wanted to lay here, get his bearings…

He moved his hand just a little and his whole arm _ ached, _ but that faded to a background concern as his fingers brushed against tightly woven knots and beads warm from the heat of his grasp and everything flooded back.  _ Emiri! _

The resulting jolt of adrenaline was enough for him to open his eyes, fingers closing once more around the bracelet. He didn’t realize he’d actually  _ said _ Emiri’s name until he heard a quiet chuckle and the tread of boots across a wooden floor. 

“Ah, there ya are.” Edér sounded relieved as he dropped into the chair pulled over next to the bed. “Was beginnin’ to worry.”

“Why?” Aloth croaked, blinking and rubbing his eyes with his free hand. “How long…?”

“Almost two days,” Edér said, setting a mug full of water on the bedside table.

“Two  _ days _ ?!” Panic surged and he tried to sit up. His arm cramped, muscles still sore from the way it had been twisted at the start of this mess, at the same moment Edér pressed a restraining hand to his shoulder. “We have to-”

“ _ You _ hafta rest,” Edér said firmly, underscored by the tugging throb in Aloth’s side. “‘Nother day, accordin’ to the healer, if you want to avoid tearin’ out the stitches an’ bleedin’ to death all over again.”

“But they’ll get away,” Aloth protested even as he relaxed back into the pillows. He  _ was _ still tired. “They have Emiri and we’ll lose them, they’ll have too much of a head start…” _ And I couldn’t stop them. _

“How ‘bout this,” Edér began. “You tell me the whole story, best you remember, and while you’re restin’ I can see what I find out.”

That was reasonable. Rational. And even if part of him still scrabbled like a wild animal in a cage, Aloth had to admit he didn’t really have the strength to do anything just yet anyway. “...Fine.”

Edér settled in, slouching comfortably in the chair. “You can start with how you two even wound up t’gether. We had no idea you were here, or Emiri would’ve made trackin’ you down one of our more important tasks.”

Aloth managed a weak smile as he ran his thumb over the beads again.  _ Of course she would’ve… _ he thought fondly. “The Leaden Key isn’t confined to the Dyrwood, or even the Eastern Reach. I’m still attempting to dismantle them. Emiri happened to spot me, and we went for a drink…” He ran through the rest of the story in as much detail as he could while remaining concise. He still didn’t have a lot of energy, and simply talking wore him out faster than he would have expected. _ Edér was probably right; you shouldn’t try to do anything or it’ll end poorly. _

“So the leader of this lot was from the same crew Emiri already escaped once?” Edér frowned. “I thought they were all dead.”

Aloth nodded, gingerly pushing himself upright enough to take a drink of the water. “The Crimson Path, yes. And she’d thought the same, but apparently not. He seemed awfully full of himself and just a touch sadistic.”

Edér snorted. “Fun combination. An’  _ just a touch _ ? I think you getting stabbed and left for dead is compellin’ evidence he’s more than a  _ touch _ sadistic.”

Aloth shrugged. “Perhaps. I don’t particularly care how sadistic the man is, I just care that he has Emiri, and we have to help her, and I can’t  _ do  _ that stuck in this bed!”

“Can’t do it if you push yourself to the point of collapse, either,” Edér pointed out, smiling sympathetically all the same at his outburst. “I’ll go see what I can find out about the Crimson Path and… what didja say his name was, Haefric? Huh, sounds Dyrwoodan. Maybe they have a favorite huntin’ ground or somethin’ where we’ll be more likely to find ‘em. If you tell me where you were stayin’ I can have someone bring your stuff here, while I’m at it.”

It would be nice to have a shirt. He assumed the other one had been ruined, with how much he’d bled on it. And he wanted his grimoire. _ If I’d had it with me before maybe none of this would’ve happened in the first place….  _ “The Kraken’s Embrace. It’s on the far side of the market district, right along the edge of the seedy part of town.”

Edér smirked as he pushed to his feet. “Sounds charming.”

Despite the ache starting in his side-- _ I knew it was only a matter of time _ \--Aloth laughed wryly. “It makes the Gréf’s Rest look like a suite at the Ducal Palace.”

“Galawain’s teeth, that bad, huh?” Edér fastened his cloak around his neck. “Can’t see you stayin’ in a place like that for long without goin’ crazy.”

“I probably would have. I’ve barely been here a week. Not counting the last two days,” Aloth amended, setting the mug and Emiri’s bracelet on the bedside table before leaning back into the pillows. “I most definitely won’t miss it.”

“Alright, then,” Edér nodded. “I’ll have the staff send someone for your stuff. We can work out of here to plan how we’re gonna get her back.” He gave Aloth a knowing look. “And we  _ will _ get her back.”

_ That’s easy for you to say, you weren’t there. You didn’t have to watch her walk into the jaws of her worst nightmares for you. You didn’t hear her screaming and know you couldn’t do a damned thing. _ “I hope so.”

“We will,” Edér repeated firmly. “An’  _ when _ we do, I don’t want to hafta explain why I let you push yourself too hard, so you promise to stay in bed ‘til I get back?”

Aloth nodded. He was too tired to argue. Or lie. “I promise.”

“Oh, in case you get bored…” Edér picked up a familiar dark brown leatherbound book, now more than a little dogeared, and handed it to him. “Emiri was readin’ that again. One of the only things she saved from Caed Nua.” He laughed softly. “Wouldn’t let us leave until she found the damn thing. She’s all bruised up, head’s bleeding, shaking like a leaf ‘cause of whatever Eothas did to her, and she insisted on diggin’ through what was left of Brighthollow ‘til she found it.” He shook his head fondly and shot Aloth a teasing grin. “You two have rubbed off on each other way too much.”

“That’s what friends do,” Aloth murmured absently, tracing where flaked-off gilding should have been. Emiri must have read it a lot since he gave it to her for it to be  _ this _ worn out.

Edér stared at him for a moment, expression unreadable, then shrugged and headed for the door. “I’m gonna go poke around now. You be good.”

“I will.” Truth be told, he wanted to sleep more, but he waited until Edér had left the room to settle into a more comfortable position and close his eyes. Part of him still desperately wanted to  _ do something _ , but he still had enough sense to know how poorly that would end. Later he would perhaps succumb to the frantic desperation, but for now he needed rest.

He drifted off with one hand still splayed across the book’s cover, as if by doing so he could somehow communicate reassurance to Emiri. A silly thought, but it was the only thing keeping him sane, so he would hold onto it.


	4. Chapter 4

Emiri wished she could say she was surprised when the gods didn’t listen. She really wished the two days of practically glass-calm seas were unexpected. But it was perfectly in line with her previous experience. Last time she’d screamed herself hoarse begging them to do something to set her free. They’d ignored her and left her in chains for twenty years until she freed herself. This time she prayed for a speedy journey to get her out of Haefric’s clutches and they responded by smoothing the seas to leave the  _ Scarlet Claw _ dead in the water.

_ I know Ondra doesn’t like me _ , she grumbled silently,  _ Or Eothas. But I helped Abydon, and Berath, I did what you asked. I’d think that would earn me something… _

Nothing. At least the pirates remembered to feed her and give her more water. Well, if you wanted to call the watered down gruel they passed into her cabin once a day  _ food _ . With no better way to occupy her time--aside from things(people) it hurt too much to think about--Emiri passed the hours vaguely plotting methods for escape. None would get her very far in the middle of the ocean, of course, but being prepared when they made landfall couldn’t hurt. After all, she was likely going to have to rescue herself again. The only person not on this ship who knew what had happened to her was dead. Her heart twinged at the cold hard truth of that thought, but she couldn’t do anything beyond acknowledge it and move on. There was no way for Edér to know what happened to her, so the odds of him staging a rescue were slim to none. If she was going to get out of this, it was going to be on her own.

If she wasn’t able to get away before she was sold, she would have to wait and see what her new… owner was like. She could then plan accordingly to escape from them.  _ I won’t stay caged this time. _

And so she sat in the corner, idly picking at loose threads from one of the blankets, turning ideas over in her head. The loud rattle of someone dragging a weapon hilt over the bars yanked her from her reverie.

Laki stood outside the door, grinning as he deliberately waited until she’d recognized the dagger to lower it from view. “Captain wanted me t’ make sure you ain’t up t’ somethin’.”

Emiri just stared at him impassively, head resting against the wall. Laki was like Haefric; he thrived off getting reactions out of people at his mercy. It gave him power. So aside from her small twitch upon seeing Aloth’s dagger, she’d give him nothing.

“You ain’t up to anything, are ya?” he gloated, clearly able to see that she wasn’t.

“What could I possibly be up to?” she replied in the flattest monotone she could manage. “Is Haefric afraid I’m gonna summon help with my mind or something?”

 

“Maybe,” Laki shrugged.  “Maybe not. He told me t’ check on you, so I’m checkin’ on you.”

“And you always do as you’re told?” Emiri shot back before reining herself in, the scene from the alley playing over again in her mind.

“When it’s comin’ from the captain I fuckin’ do,” he said with a nod, firm and a touch spiteful. “He’s been leagues better for us than our last captain.  _ And _ his orders are usually fun.”  He idly flipped the dagger in the air to underscore the last part.

Emiri bit her lip to keep from saying something he could use against her. She could feel his sense of smirking triumph and didn’t want to fuel it. They knew how much losing Aloth had hurt her. The fact they kept rubbing her face in it was nothing more than trying to break her even further than she’d already been shattered. Knowing that didn’t make each and every dig hurt any less, but it did help with not giving them satisfaction. A small act of rebellion,

Still, Laki grinned, even her minimal reaction proof enough for him. “I’ll make sure Captain Haefric knows you’re behavin’ yourself.”

_ You do that.  _ She stared at him until he left, dragging the dagger across the bars one last time. It was only after his footsteps had completely faded that she looked down and realized she’d unravelled a large section of the blanket she’d been picking at subconsciously. “Oops,”she muttered, looking at the pile of dark orange and red thread sitting in her lap.  _ Actually… _ Upon closer inspection, the thread was only slightly finer than what she used to make bracelets. And it wasn’t as if there was an abundance of other things to do…

Emiri started sorting out the thread by color and length. Doing something harmless with her hands would hopefully convince the pirates she wasn’t up to anything, and give her something to pass the time if this calm lasted much longer. She hoped it didn’t, but you never could tell. The sea was a fickle thing, this she knew from experience. All kith could do was adapt and pray. Fortunately, she was very good at both.

 

<<O>>

 

Edér’s fact finding trip had been a frustrating mix of helpful and not. He’d found the alley, and between flat out bribery and asking the right questions had managed to learn the name and description of the Crimson Path’s ship. But no one had any solid leads--at least, not that they were willing to share with him--as to where they would have gone when they left.

“I did talk to a couple different people who remember seein’ them board the ship. Guess a screamin’, cryin’ aumaua godlike is kinda hard to miss,” Eder deadpanned as he and Aloth sat at the table, half-finished breakfast shoved aside in favor of studying a map of the Archipelago.

Aloth scoffed faintly, shifting in his chair. Grudgingly as he would have admitted it, an extra day’s bedrest had indeed done wonders for his strength and his side, but there was still some discomfort sitting. Both from the still-healing injury and the gnawing sense that they should be  _ doing something _ , not just staring helplessly at a map. “Yes, I imagine that would be memorable. And no one had  _ any  _ suggestions for where the Crimson Path may have gone?”

“Nope.” Edér shook his head apologetically. “They apparently aren’t picky about where they do their, uh, business.”

Aloth sighed and dug his fingers into his hair as he studied the map. Emiri had marked some places, scribbled notes by islands, clearly planning out her search for Eothas. _ There are so many,  _ he thought grimly, struggling hard not to give in to despair at the thought of the pirates with a three day headstart and so many destinations to pick from. Assuming they were heading to an island, not sailing the surrounding waters in search of prey.  _ Usher’s scythe, how are we supposed to find them in all this?  _ “This is ridiculous,” was all he said out loud.

“Yep,” Edér said, pinning down a curling edge with his drink. “But doin’ nothin’ ain’t an option, either.”

“Oh, obviously.” Aloth traced the faint curve of the archipelago with his fingertips. “We have to do something, even if it means going island to island.” Which, he was aware, could be a massive waste of time if the Crimson Path had made a beeline for the far end of the island chain. But it had marginally higher odds of paying off than chartering a boat and zigzagging across the ocean in search of one specific pirate ship. “Maybe someone elsewhere knows their habits better. This  _ is _ one of the more ‘civilized’ islands,” he pointed out, remembering his conversation with Emiri. “Pirates tend to shy away.”

“‘S a good point,” Edér nodded thoughtfully. “If we head to one of the seedier ones someone should know somethin’.” He eyed Aloth with knowing concern. “You gonna be alright travelin’?”

_ I don’t know. _ “As long as I don’t try to do too much, I should be fine,” Aloth said instead.

Edér shot him a look that was a breath away from asking him to define too much, but he just nodded again. “Alright, then. Where do you think’s good to go?”

Aloth bit his lip in thought as he looked at the map. One of his local contacts--not trustworthy enough to be a source, but knowledgeable--had mentioned something about islands that were pirate havens. It had been meant in the context of places to avoid, but he’d visit every single one of them if it would help find Emiri faster. He remembered the names, if he could just find one on the map… “This one. Here.” He tapped one of the larger island maybe a day’s travel from where they were. “Totanu. The more inland parts are respectable for the most part, but the coastal areas are popular with… unsavory types.”

“Do I wanna know how you knew that?” Edér asked with a small laugh.

“Nothing mysterious or underhanded, I just… have contacts who thought that information might be important to me down the road. It is, after all, the sort of set-up the Leaden Key would find ideal.”

“I’ll go see about getting us passage, then.” Edér pushed away from the table. “You can start packing, if you feel like you need to be doin’ something,” he added when Aloth opened his mouth. “You’re only a few days off almost dyin’, no way I’m letting you push things yet.”

“It  _ is _ healing,” Aloth muttered, one hand instinctively resting against his side, feeling the bandages under his shirt.

“And I wanna keep it that way,” Edér retorted, smiling wryly. “Gods, can you imagine what Emiri would do to me if we find her only for you to keel over ‘cause I didn’t keep y’ mindful of your limits? She’d have my hide.”

“Alright, alright, I concede the point,” Aloth said with a sigh. He stood as well, gingerly making his way to the bed as Edér headed out the door. As if to underscore his friend’s words, something about the way he moved tugged the stitches and Aloth grimaced at the brief ripple of pain.  _ No need to rub it in…  _ he grumbled to himself as he sat on the bed and started packing.

 

<<O>>

 

It was a tricker thing than Edér had anticipated to find a ship. The captains who were willing to go to Totanu all looked the type to stab you in the back for your coin purse or sell you out to someone with less than kind intentions on your future, and the captains who seemed respectable were reluctant to sail too close to the island. It made Edér wonder if there was something about the place Aloth’s contact hadn’t told him. He didn’t relish the thought of finding out with a still-recuperating friend in tow. But they didn’t have any other leads, slim as this one was, and he was afraid if he returned unsuccessful Aloth would just take off on his own and get himself killed. He was taking their inability to progress even harder than Edér.

_ Prob’ly ‘cause he was there. Effigy’s eyes, they used him as damned leverage to manipulate her and he couldn’t do a blazing thing to stop them. I’d be goin’ crazy myself if the tables were turned, _ Edér acknowledged. He pursed his lips and sighed, weighing his options. The dwarf with the eyepatch had seemed relatively trustworthy, and his price wasn’t too much of a racket. Maybe he was worth the gamble…

“Hey. Hey, blondie,” a voice hailed from his left, edges slurred just enough by drink Edér tensed warily as he turned toward the speaker.

“Can I help you?” he asked, measuring up the slight-built woman who’d flagged him down.

“I heard you are looking for a captain?” she probed, Vailian lilt under the tipsy edge. “To take you and a friend to Totanu?”

“That’s about the size of it,” Edér nodded. “Why, you offerin’?” 

“ _ Ac _ , I am indeed.” The woman bowed, dark curling bangs flopping in her eyes. “You will find my price fair, my services more than adequate, and my ship… cozy.”

Edér felt a brow rise at the vague hesitation. “Any chance I could see your ship ‘fore I give an answer?”

“Of course, of course.” She gestured for him to follow and started on a mostly straight course down the main street. “This way.”

“One other question,” he began as he trailed behind her, watching the red tails of her coat flutter in the faint breeze. “You got a name?”

“Ah, yes,  _ sientere _ , my good sir.” She paused to hiccup slightly. “Captain Radora of the  _ Osprey, _ at your service.” She shot a curious look over her shoulder. “And you?”

“Edér.” He dodged closer to the buildings as an aumaua barreled by in the opposite direction.

“An’ why’s a decent looking fellow like you trying to get to Totanu?” Radora asked, tone casual, but he could sense a more serious intent behind the question.

“Lookin’ for a friend,” was all he said.

“I thought you were already traveling with a friend,” she said archly.

“I am. We’re lookin’ for another friend. We got, uh, separated.”

“And you think this friend might be on Totanu?”

“Not by choice,” Edér sidestepped a questionable puddle.

Radora nodded, clearly catching his meaning. “Well, I hope you find your friend. Even if you do not use my ship. Totanu is a dangerous enough place for those who _ wish  _ to be there. The outer edges, at least, can be downright cruel if you are there against your will.”

Edér winced.  _ Not tellin’ Aloth that last part. Just in case.  _ “You seem pretty familiar with it.”

She shrugged. “The cost of doing business in the Deadfire,  _ ac _ ? Sometimes you learn more about a place then you wish to know.” She stopped at the end of a dock, bracing herself against a pylon. “Ah, here we are.”

He looked where she was pointing. “I see what you mean by cozy.”

“The  _ Osprey _ may be small, but she handles well and she is very fast. I have yet to regret purchasing her,” Radora said.

“How long you had her?” Something about her tone and body language made Edér think he wasn’t getting the full story.

“Just a couple months,” Radora admitted easily. “My last vessel was… somewhat forcibly removed from my command, necessitating my starting anew. But she is a good ship, and I am a good captain, and we shall deliver you and your friend to Totanu as free folk, for a very reasonable price.”

Edér sized up the small but sturdy ship, and then its confident but tipsy captain. “You always sail three sheets to the wind?”

“You ask a lot of questions…” She hesitated, cocked her head slightly as searching her memory, “Edér.”

“I wanna be sure I make a good decision. And that was the last of ‘em.”

“I never drink at sea,” Radora promised.

_ She’s a better bet than anyone else you’ve talked to _ . “You’re hired.”

“ _ Gellarde _ ,” she grinned, white teeth against dark skin. “How soon do you wish to leave?”

A pause to figure the time he’d need. “Can you be ready in an hour?”

“That I can.”

Edér held out a hand to shake. “We’ll meet you here.”


	5. Chapter 5

It took another day for the calm to break and wind to ruffle the sea. Emiri passed the time both then and once they were underway weaving the blanket threads into the macrame bracelets she could make in her sleep. The first one, dusky burnt orange and deep red, she tied around her wrist. The ones that followed she stashed under her bedding. They weren’t a secret--she _wanted_ the pirates to see that she was occupying herself with something innocuous--but if it was obvious how many she’d made in a short period of time, they might catch on that she didn’t have to _think_ about the patterns of knots she was tying. Her thoughts were on something else completely.

 _I have to get away from these bastards._ Unfortunately, she didn’t know a lot about the crew size, the layout of the ship beyond the route Naita had dragged her down when they first boarded, or how far she could push things with her cipher abilities while wearing the manacles. Haefric had mentioned there were some things she could still do, to prove she was, in fact, a cipher. At least that one she could test. The other two she couldn’t answer until she actually tried to escape, but there were ways to see how much she could get away with before the nausea would hit.

And so, the day the wind came back and they finally started moving ( _thank Berath_ ), Emiri conducted her first test. When the shaggy-haired, gap toothed powder monkey who usually brought her meals slid the shallow dish of gruel under the door, she actually spoke to him. “Um, how much trouble would you get in if you brought me extra? I’m _really_ hungry.”

Even as he hesitated, the ghost of experience flickering in his dark brown eyes, Emiri focused on pushing the thoughts into his head. _It’s a good idea. The captain wouldn’t want her starving before we even get there. What can it hurt to_ **_ask_ ** _?_

“I-I can check if we have extra,” he stammered. “Captain’s been tight with… with the rations. On account a’ the calm. But I’ll see.” Nervous fingers tugged the small gold hoop through his ear. “Maybe there’s some extra hardtack or somethin’.”

“Only if it won’t get you in trouble,” Emiri insisted, and meant it. She’d hate to have that on her conscience.

“Oh, just askin’ should be… should be fine.” He was already starting to shuffle down the hall. “If’n I **_stole_ ** some--specially for you--Cap’n and cook’d both have my fuckin’ hide.”

“Well, then, thank you.” Emiri pursed her lips as she watched him leave. The nausea had started, but hadn’t been unbearable. Of course, her target had been all of maybe thirteen, nowhere near the hardened criminal most of the crew was, and she’d asked for something easy. But it was still an informative test, and if she didn’t get the boy in trouble she’d consider it a success.

<<O>>

Sadly, the upturn in her fortunes didn’t last long. Ondra apparently still had it out for her. Only a day after they got the wind back, it grew from a strong and steady breeze to a gale that created waves big enough Emiri’s stomach lurched every time they hit one. Soon the shrieking winds were joined by pouring rain, thunder and lightning, and waves so huge she saw nothing but water when she glanced out the viewport.

 _Makeitstop, makeitstop, someone, anyone,_ **_make it stop_ ** , she begged, choking on memories of storms and waves and _too much water, can’t_ **_breathe_ ** _._

She curled in a progressively tighter ball as the storm worsened. She could hear the crew shouting back and forth up on deck. While the words were lost to distance, wind, and rain, there was no missing the undercurrent of fear. And if this storm was bad enough to scare hardened pirates, Emiri was almost grateful she couldn’t see more. She was terrified enough as it was. _Make it stop, make it stop, make it stop._

By the time it did stop, after a full day that felt closer to a week, the ship had been blown far enough off course to add a day and a half to their journey. This only served to further blacken Haefric’s mood--and thus the rest of the crew’s--and solidify Emiri’s belief that Ondra hated her. Why else would the answer to _please let us get there fast be_ to slow them down in every way possible?

 _Just ‘cause I returned the Eyeless to Abydon and wouldn’t let Her wipe out most of the known world to keep a secret, She’s got it in for me._ It would almost be funny if not for how miserable it was making her. Her one small comfort was that the crew didn’t seem much happier with their circumstances than she was. Tight rations, longer and harder shifts to make up lost time, Emiri heard more than one grumble that it would make more sense to head back to Totanu(it was only a day’s sail behind them) and at least resupply, if not see what they could get for her and be done with this. But Haefric was determined to reach Nahaua, where he knew he could get the best price for his investment. So on they sailed, bound for the one place in the archipelago where people would care less about her. And all she could do was bide her time, busy her hands, and keep planning her escape.

<<O>>

True to her word, Radora sobered up quickly once they were underway, and proved to be every bit the captain she claimed. Her crew listened to her, and despite her relatively short ownership, she seemed intimately familiar with what the _Osprey_ could do. She made more than a few good calls regarding their route that shaved several hours off the journey. Edér had to admit he was impressed. She’d seemed a solid choice, true, but he was far too accustomed to people overselling themselves to get what they wanted. It was refreshing--and a bit surprising--to see someone who could actually deliver on what they promised. And he knew Aloth appreciated the amount of time she’d saved them.

Still, it was a relief when Totanu’s silhouette appeared on the horizon. Even if it was an intimidatingly large silhouette.

“Good thing we don’t hafta find _her_ there, huh?” Edér commented as he and Aloth stood  at the ship’s railing and watched the island approach. He wouldn’t have liked their odds if they did.

Aloth snorted softly, fingers twisting one of his rings in long-standing nervous habit. “No, we only have to find someone who knows with reasonable certainty where the pirates would be heading and is willing to share that information with us.” He sighed, then added under his breath,” We’re so far behind...”

“Yeah, probably,” Edér nodded. “But we’ll catch up.”

Aloth gave him a skeptical look. “You’ve been saying that since the start of all this. How are you so sure?”

Edér shrugged and grinned, only slightly forced. “Got a good feeling. And I have to believe it, else I’ll go sinkin’ into the depths of despair and lose all motivation.” He lightly nudged Aloth’s shoulder. “Or do something crazy.”

“I’m not planning to do anything crazy!” Aloth protested, gripping the railing with one hand as they hit a wave.

“Y’ ain’t ruled it out, either,” Edér countered. “I can see it in your  eyes.”

“Yes, well, I haven’t exactly been hiding my desperation, have I?” Aloth said with a wan, self deprecating smile. “I just….” He sighed. “Emiri never talked much about her past, which is understandable, but what she did share painted a thoroughly unpleasant picture.” He started twisting the ring again. “I hate the thought of her going through that again. For me.”

Edér had figured that was at least part of the wizard’s drive, but hearing him say it still pulled a wry smile. “You really think she’d’ve done different, risked fighting back an’ gettin’ them killed, with someone else? ‘Miri wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she let those bastards hurt one of her friends. Just ‘cause you two are close enough to read each other’s minds on occasion don’t mean you’re the only one she’d do that for.”

“I know that.” Aloth tipped his head back to watch the gulls winging wide circles around the ship as they drew nearer to the island. “But I _am_ the one she did it for. She could have handled all four of them easily, all by herself, if they hadn’t used me for leverage. So you can understand my drive to rectify things, help her.”

“Sure, but this _is_ Emiri we’re talkin’ about, she wouldn’t want her freedom if it came at the cost of you.”

A grim smile. “Yes, well, she already proved that, didn’t she?”

There wasn’t really a good retort to that, least not one he could come up with, so Edér just shrugged in concession as Radora’s crew guided the ship safely into dock.

<<O>>

Totanu smelled like fish. Fish and vomit and sweat, in that order. Despite his willingness to do whatever it took to find Emiri, Aloth couldn’t help but pray this particular stop didn’t take long. Aside from the pungent odor that had soaked into the sprawling coastal city and its inhabitants, Captain Radora had been unable to guarantee how long she could wait for them. And or course there was the ever-gnawing dread that they were falling further and further behind.

In the interest of speed, he and Edér agreed to split up and meet back at the dock in a few hours. Risky, yes, to go wandering Totanu’s streets alone, but more efficient. If they could get people to talk to them.

Aloth did not have much luck with that. The second Totanu’s unsavory denizens heard his accent, they either clammed up out of spite or tried to take him for all he was worth. Neither options got him a single step closer to finding Emiri, and after the third of each it just started to get tiresome. At least none of them attempted anything more than swindling.  He had a grimoire with him(which he didn’t hide; probably why no one tried anything), but the effort required to cast would probably hurt(a lot), and potentially have serious ramifications for his still-healing side. That wasn’t much of a silver lining, of course, especially given that each time it became a concern he could feel Iselmyr pressing dangerously close to the surface and had to fight her down. His mood was thus positively dismal as he headed back to the dock.

“Didn’t go well, huh?” Edér greeted him with a sympathetic smile.

“Abysmally,” Aloth sighed in return, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Is it that obvious?”

“You look like one a’ those storm clouds out there got turned into folk,” Edér confirmed, gesturing at the threatening sky out near the horizon.

He hadn’t even _noticed_ the encroaching storm. “Please tell me you were more fortunate so we can get out of here before that arrives.”

Edér grinned. “I was.”

 _Oh, thank Berath_. He waited for the man to continue.

“Found a dockhand way down the end of the inlet who saw the ship we’re after.  She went sailing by, big ol’ scarlet claw painted on her hull.” Edér paused, grin widening. “Yesterday morning.”

Aloth almost fell over. “We’re so close.” Only a day and a half behind. “Did this dockhand have any idea where they might be heading, by any chance?”

Edér winced apologetically, sympathy in his eyes. “Nothin’ completely solid, but his best guess, owin’ to her direction, was Nahaua.”

A chill ran down his spine. “That’s…”

“Uh-huh. Guess this pirate captain’s figured out ‘Miri wouldn’t play by his rules this time ‘round.” Edér sighed and sucked his teeth for a moment. “We get a fast enough ship, we might be able to catch ‘em.”

“We have to catch them!” Gods, if he’d thought he was desperate before, the sheer panic that burrowed in at thought of Emiri being _sold_ and disappearing into the trackless expanse of the oceans with a new… _owner_ made him physically ill.

It must have shown, because Edér grabbed his arm. “Aloth? You alright?”

Aloth shook his head to break the brief grip of shock. “We have to catch them,” he repeated resolutely, running his fingers through his hair.

“We will,” Edér said firmly. “Like you said, we’re close. Radora’s a good captain, and the _Osprey_ ’s fast. I’m sure she can whittle down that lead some more.”

As if summoned by him mentioning her name, the red-clad captain came striding down the gangplank of her ship, curls bouncing against her shoulders. “ _Ado, aimicos_ , have you yet learned where you need to go?”

“Nahaua,” Aloth and Edér replied  in unison.

“Nahaua?” she parroted, face twisting into a grimace. “ _Madiccho!_ Your friend, she is in very big trouble I think, _ac_?”

“ _Very_ big trouble,” Aloth said with a nod. “However, the ship she’s on is less than two days ahead of us now, thanks in no small part to your excellent sailing. If we can leave soon, I’m sure we could catch up to them.” It was slightly more optimism than he actually felt, but he couldn’t dwell on the alternative. He _couldn’t_.

Which made Radora’s regretful expression cut even deeper. “Unfortunately, I cannot take you to Nahaua, _aimico_.”

“Why not?” he frowned.

“The seas, they get rough around the island _, ac_ ? Something with the reefs from when it formed. It is no trouble for the larger ships typical of the… regular clientele, but my _Osprey_ would be battered to pieces before we were within swimming distance of shore.” Radora _tsk_ ed apologetically. “I wish I could help you, I truly do, but it is simply not possible. _Sientere_.”

“No, we understand,” Edér said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Wouldn’t want you to lose your ship.”

“Can you recommend anyone trustworthy who _could_ get us there?” Aloth asked.

“Trustworthy? On Totanu?” She paused, lips pursed in thought. “ _Ac_ . One or two only who _might_ be here and could be trusted, with ships large enough to be safe.” She quickly gave the names and where the men could likely be found. “I wish you swift winds and good luck. I hope your find your friend soon.”

“As do  I,” Aloth muttered, before managing a smile as he and Edér bid Radora farewell and set off in hopes of finding at least  one of the captains she had suggested. A quick glance at the sky made him want to _run_ in search of the men; it looked far more ominous than it had a few minutes ago. If they wanted to leave before storm broke(which he did, desperately), they needed to hurry.


	6. Chapter 6

She hadn’t seen the powder monkey since the day he brought her extra food. Emiri tried to rationalize it; they only fed her once a day, the day after had been the blazing storm, he’d sworn the cook had grumbled a bit but let him take more. No matter how hard she tried, however, she couldn’t completely shake the sense of dread at his absence. And it only doubled when their first day after the storm, Naita was the one who brought her food. Even with the shackles on, Emiri could sense the other woman’s smug satisfaction at the surge of concern that rippled across Emiri’s face. 

“Here ya go.” Naita shoved in the tray of gruel. “Eat up. I’m s’pposed t’ wait for you to be done. We’re gettin’ close, Captain doesn’t want you tryin’ anything.”

_ She wants me to ask,  _ Emiri realized.  _ She knows I’m curious about the boy, but she’s not going to just tell me. B’cause if I ask about him, it’s as good as confessing I’m worried I got him in trouble. _

_ Oh, you’re just being paranoid,  _ part of her--that sounded a lot like Aloth--retorted.  _ If he’s the only one who’s been bringing you food, it’s logical you would be curious at any changes. Just ask her. _

And so, the next time she paused in eating, she did exactly that. “What happened to the boy who was bringing my food?”

“Oh, Lyam?” Naita snorted. “Captain was worried he’d get all soft-touch with ya, since he ain’t been part of the crew that long. Thought it would be better if someone a little tougher handled that duty.”

“He sure took his time reaching that conclusion,” Emiri muttered, tipping up the tray for some more of the watery mush it contained.

“He wasn’t sure it’d be a concern ‘til that stunt you pulled day b’fore the blazin’ storm,” Naita said pointedly, cracking her knuckles.

“What, asking for more? Gods forgive me for being hungry after a week and a half of  _ this  _ being all I get to eat.” Emiri sloshed the small remaining amount of gruel before finishing it off.

“Haefric doesn’t want you gettin’ any bright ideas ‘bout manipulatin’ Lyam into lettin’ you out or some shit like that.”

“Haefric is blazing paranoid.”  _ Also uncannily perceptive. _

“He is,” Naita conceded easily. “Doesn’t make him wrong.”

Emiri sighed. “I thought that was the whole point of these” --she dropped the tray and held up her wrists, manacles rattling slightly-- “to keep me from using my cipher abilities. If he doesn’t think they’ll do the job, what’s the point?!”

“Oh, we know they work for most of it,” Naita said. “But since you can do a few little tricks, he wants to be careful.” She swiveled, grabbing Emiri’s wrist through the bars. “Where’d these come from?”

Emiri followed her gaze to the trio of bracelets tied around her wrist. “I made them. With thread from one of my blankets. What, was I supposed to just sit and stare at the wall this whole trip? Dwell on what I lost, what you took from me?” Her voice wobbled slightly at the end, the raw pain of losing a friend not nearly dimmed enough by the time that had passed.

“And this is all you made? In almost two weeks?” Now she sounded suspicious.

Emiri shrugged. “It’s been a while, I had to remember how to make ‘em. Took a few tries that I had to unravel and redo.”

Naita let go of her wrist and held out her hand for the tray. She didn’t look completely convinced, but she did let the matter drop. Instead she commented, “We’ll be reaching Nahaua tomorrow, barring anymore freak weather, so I suggest you prepare yerself for that.”

And she turned and strode away, leaving Emiri to her thoughts.

<<O>>

They were  not fast enough to beat the storm. After wasting almost an hour looking for the first captain Radora had recommended, Edér and Aloth found the second in just a few minutes. He was in the tavern Radora had thought the other might frequent. A towering aumaua missing three fingers and an ear, Captain Akamu was more than willing to take them to Nahaua. Upon learning they’d heard of him from Radora, he grinned and offered a discount. “Not much of one--I am a businessman--but Radora has done me many favors, and we have an… understanding.”

Normally Aloth would have pressed for some detail about the ‘understanding’ that made things a tad too conveniently easy. But right now all he could focus  on was getting off Totanu fast enough to still have a prayer of catching the pirates. So instead he asked, “When could we leave?”

“Oh, soon as y’ like,” Akamu said with a shrug. “After the storm blows through.”

“But it isn’t even _ here  _ yet,” Aloth protested, twisting one of his rings.

“Will be soon enough,” Akamu said patiently, as if he’d explained this many times to kith who didn’t understand the sea. He probably had. “An’ once it is, there ain’t a ship in the Deadfire could even hope to outrun it. I’m more than happy to take your boys wherever you wanna go, after that sonofabitch has blown through.” 

“Deal,” Edér said quickly, before Aloth could grumble more about the delay. “If we’re gonna be here a while, you know a place we could stay?”

“Aye.” Akamu finished off his drink and motioned to the server for another. “Right ‘cross the street, the Patched Eye. Nothin’ fancy, but the cleanest you’ll find without goin’ inland.”

“I thank ya,” Edér smiled, tugging Aloth’s elbow as  he stood. “Once things clear up, you want us to meet you here or…?”

“I’ll send someone t’ getcha,” Akamu said with a nod of thanks to the server as she delivered his next round. “This storm looks t’ be a nasty one, so I’d recommend you hunker down once you get settled an’ stay put til things clear up.”

“Good advice,” Edér agreed.

It  _ was  _ good advice, Aloth wasn’t going to argue that, but he couldn’t help feeling a fresh knot of desperation as the time Radora had saved them got eaten up by an angry grey sky. _ Damn it all, I just want to save my friend. Is that not a sufficiently noble cause to warrant some cooperation?  _ he grumbled to himself as he and Edér exited the tavern and crossed the street to the inn. There was no answer.

     <<O>>

The storm broke barely thirty minutes after they got settled. From the sound of rain hammering the windows, Akamu had been right to not set sail with it brewing. That knowledge didn’t make the time they were losing any easier to bear.

Aloth paced until his side started to ache, then dropped into a chair(harder than he probably should have) and stared at the wall.

“I don’t s’ppose it would help t’ point out maybe the pirates got hit with the same storm an’ slowed down?” Edér asked laconically as he studied the map. 

“No, because that would mean Emiri got caught in it with them.” He winced at the thought. “Much as I appreciate the thought of them being slowed down, I don’t want it if it means she has to endure that. Storms terrify her.”

“Sure. Storms at sea are no jokin’ matter,” Edér said, not looking up from the map. “They scare me, too, if I’m honest.”

“This isn’t just her being  _ scared, _ ” Aloth shook his head and pushed back to his feet to pace again. “Any sane kith are a little afraid of storms at sea. She almost  _ drowned _ during her initial captivity in a storm very much like this one. Storms terrify her, it’s just not as bad on land. I don’t  _ want  _ to think about her being caught on a ship in  _ this, _ because I can  _ barely _ tolerate the thought of what she’s likely enduring as it is. If we add this... “ He sighed in agitation. “And we might have reached her before it even became a concern if you hadn’t had to wait for m- **_ah_ ** !”

He instinctively braced one hand against the nearest wall in a bid to keep his feet, the other pressing to his side even as the sharp pain faded.

“Aloth?  _ Aloth _ ?” There was the scrape of Edér pushing back his chair, and a few seconds later his hand on Aloth’s arm, offering support as he guided him to the closer of the beds. “Maybe I better take a look at that. Been awhile since we changed the bandages anyway.”

“I suppose it can’t hurt,” Aloth managed between gritted teeth. The wound had healed enough by now he could  _ almost _ think it wouldn’t be a problem at times. Until he moved wrong, like a moment ago, and it reminded him in no uncertain terms it was indeed still a problem. He pulled his shirt up out of the way and held it as Edér carefully unwrapped the bandages. They came away easily enough, with no evidence of anything impeding the healing process.

“Looks alright,” Edér said with a shrug. “But lemme get fresh bandages ‘case this is more than your body objectin’ to you blamin’ yourself again.”

Aloth smiled wryly at the joking tone as Edér moved to search their packs for the desired bandages. “I do realize I’m doing that quite a lot. But it’s always there in the back of my head, so the second I’m not distracted it comes roaring to the forefront.” He glanced down at the healing wound, faintly pink skin puckered slightly around a scar in the making. “That  _ is _ healing well…”

“An’ in the interest of continuin’ that, maybe  you better stay off your feet for the rest of the night,” Edér suggested mildly as he returned with the  bandages and covered the wound once more.

“That wasn’t even a subtle hint,” Aloth said dryly. 

“Wasn’t tryin’ to be,” Edér grinned. “Closer we get to catchin’ ‘em, harder I’m gonna work to protect you from yourself so you’re still alive when we get ‘Miri back.”

“Alright, you win,” Aloth sighed. Edér had a point--the same one he’d had the entire time--and they both knew it. So Aloth did as he suggested once the fresh bandages were in place and stayed in bed. He distracted himself from the rampant negative thoughts by reading through his grimoire. Just because he couldn’t cast any spells right now was no excuse to get rusty, he mused, one hand slipping into his pocket to play with Emiri’s bracelet as he read. _ Please let us catch them. _

<<O>>

The last night before they reached Nahaua was full of nightmares that put her Watcher dreams to shame. Emiri woke screaming multiple times from dreams that heavily featured replays of the events from the alley. After the fourth time watching Aloth die, she gave up on sleep and started making another bracelet. She was forced to start it over twice, the residual tears blurring her vision so badly she tied the knots wrong. This one she made mostly blue, with one thin red line zigzagging haphazardly back and forth down its length. She wound up running out of blue faster than anticipated, forcing her to make the last few rows red. It had the effect of looking like the bracelet was bleeding.

_ Fitting, _ Emiri thought grimly as she tied it around her wrist, _ given the night I had. _ With nothing else to distract her, she lay back down and watched as the cabin gradually lightened with the rising sun.

Today she would get away from Haefric, one way or another. Her preference obviously lay with the  _ escape  _ method over the _ bought by someone _ method, but either got her away from Haefric and his crew, which was all she wanted at this point.

She didn’t move when the swells picked up, signifying they’d entered the maze of reefs that made getting to Nahaua a challenge. She didn’t move when things calmed and the  _ Claw  _ began its final approach to the island some derisively called slavers’ paradise. She could faintly hear orders being hollered, the shudder of sails being furled, the cheery cries of crew members anticipating shore leave. She just stared at the ceiling, hands folded over her stomach, the chain’s links cool between her fingers. Her stomach growled, but Emiri ignored it. The  _ Scarlet Claw  _ shivered slightly as it came into dock and Emiri’s heart skipped a beat.  _ We’re here. _


	7. Chapter 7

It took a full night and day for the storm to blow through, and Aloth very nearly tore his hair out waiting for it to abate. When it finally did die down, it was late enough in the evening he didn’t need the messenger from Akamu to know they wouldn’t be leaving until morning.

“You ain’t gonna get a wink of sleep tonight, are ya?” Edér laughed as the errand boy left.

“Probably not, no.” Aloth bit his lip and tugged absently at an already-frazzled lock of hair. “There’s far too much on my mind.”

And he was right. Edér slept like a log, but Aloth couldn’t convince his racing thoughts to calm down for even five seconds, leading to an entirely sleepless night. He felt sluggish the next morning as a result, and Edér even commented on the size of the dark circles under his eyes, but he could sleep on the ship once they were underway. 

Akamu was waiting for them when they reached the docks, his crew already hard at work preparing to sail. He greeted them with the requisite warmth and showed them to the cabin they would be sharing. “Sorry I don’t have room for ya to bunk separately, but the _ Whitecrest  _ is loaded to the gills for this trip.”

“S’alright, we appreciate you making room,” Edér said as he dropped his pack on one of the bunks. “How long you reckon it’ll take us to get there?”

Akamu thought for a second. “Nahaua? My ship? Two days at most.”

Aloth managed to bite back his wince. He’d looked at a map; he knew two days was approaching a damned miracle. It still felt like  _ so long _ . And he wasn’t sure he could remain civil if he opened his mouth while he was so tired. So he kept it shut, let Edér thank the captain as he dropped wearily on to the free bunk.

“You wanna figure out how we’re gonna handle things when we get there?” Edér asked, sitting on his own bunk. “Nahaua ain’t a small island, an’ we have no idea how much lead they have on us anymore.”

“We should, you’re right.” Aloth nodded even as he yawned wide enough to crack his jaw. “We... need to have a plan…”

“Maybe you should get some sleep first?” Edér suggested. “You said once we were on the ship. An’ we’ve got two days.”

“At most,” Aloth mumbled. “But yes, that might be wise.” He wouldn’t be much help if he couldn’t think straight. “You could talk to the crew” --another yawn-- “see what they know about how things are done there.”

“Good idea,” Edér said with a nod. “I’ll do that, you get some sleep, and then we’ll be much better prepared to come up with a plan.”

Aloth just nodded as he lay down on the narrow bunk, asleep almost before he was settled.

<<O>>

_ He really is gonna burn himself out,  _ Edér mused as he looked at the sleeping elf. He truly hoped--for Aloth’s sake almost as much as Emiri’s--that they were nearing the end of all this. In a good way. The kind of way where they found Emiri and were able to rescue her(if she hadn’t figured a way to save herself by now). To that end, he should probably do his part. He took one last look at Aloth, to make sure he wasn’t about to fall off the bunk or anything, and left to find a member of the crew who was free to talk.

That took some doing; most of them were busy with setting sail, but he did find a trio down in the mess who were up for a chat while they spliced rope and other more stationary tasks. Asking about things on Nahaua brought significant looks exchanged between the three of them.

“It’s a mess,” the blonde splicing rope said bluntly, not looking up from her task.

“He probably figured that, Gaby,” the dark haired dwarf across the table commented glibly. “Probably lookin’ for some more detail. Gods, live up to your name for once.”

Gaby wrinkled her nose at the dwarf. “Who says I wasn’t gonna, Taren?” She tugged on the rope to test its mended strength. “But since you know so well what he wants, maybe you should fill him in.”

“Fine, I will,” he snorted, even as Edér opened his mouth to interject. “Like she said, it’s a damned mess. Y’know it’s called slavers’ paradise?” Edér nodded. “You know _ why _ ?”

He shook his head. “Figured on account of the auctions.”

“Aye, that’s true,” Taren nodded, stroking his beard. “But specifically, it’s ‘cause the auctions don’t care where your merchandise came from or where it goes, just the money it’ll bring in. You could club a passin’ stranger over the head and chain ‘em up, auction houses don’t fuckin’ care. You gotta go with a mate you can trust to watch your back.”

“Yeah, only mad types go it alone,” Gaby chipped in. “An’ you gotta be sure you can trust whoever you’re with. Even if they ain’t gonna sell ya themselves, they might turn a blind eye or run away if’n someone else makes an attempt.”

“Fun place,” Edér drawled. “Hope they won’t be offended if I don’t wanna visit long.”

“I doubt they’ll care,” the third sailor piped up, neatly stacking the bandages he’d been rolling. “Just be careful you an your friend don’t get sucked in ‘caused it’s blazin’ hard t’ get back out.”

“In both senses,” Taren nodded. “I’d stick close t’ the docks if’n I was you. Less you need to visit an auction house t’ find whoever you’re after.”

“Hope it doesn’t come to that,” Edér said with a sigh. They’d spent their way through a lot of the money he and Emiri had started with, and Aloth hadn’t had much to add to the pot. If--gods forbid--it came down to bidding for Emiri, they had about an ember’s chance in the White March. “I’d prefer a good old fashioned prison break.”

“Ha, good fucking luck,” Gaby snorted. “I dunno how valuable your friend would be considered, but both the auctions an’ the types who do business with them jealously guard even their cheapest, shall we say,  _ product. _ ”

_ Great.  _ “Alright, then, is there any sorta protocol when folk bring in, well, folk to sell? Do they keep ‘em on their ships ‘til it’s time for the auction, or do the auctions have somewhere they keep ‘em, or what?”

“It varies, dependin’ on how valuable you are an’ how paranoid whoever’s sellin’ ya is,” Taren said. He pointed a crooked finger at the man rolling bandages. “Rigs there cost captain a pretty pand t’ free, an’ even he had a couple a’ guards on him.”

“Why don’t you stick t’ blabbin’ your own damn life story, Tare,” Rigs grumbled, glaring at the dwarf over the small wall of bandages he’d constructed.

“I think I’m done anyway,” Edér interjected, getting to his feet. “Gotta go do some plannin’.”

“Good luck with that, mate,” Taren said, sounding largely sincere. “You’re gonna need it.”

Thus informed, but not encouraged, Edér headed back to his and Aloth’s cabin.

<<O>>

He wound up with several hours to think over what the sailors had told him before Aloth finally woke from his nap. None of the thoughts were particularly beneficial; mostly along the lines of how were the two of them going to take on who knew how many guards or pirates? Especially since Aloth hadn’t healed enough yet to cast without the risk of tearing open his wound again. It was also hard to plan without know where Emiri would  _ be _ , pirate ship or auction house cell. “This ain’t promisin’,” Edér muttered to himself as Aloth stirred.

“What’s not promising?” the elf mumbled, sitting up and rubbing sleep out of his eyes with the heel of one hand.

“What I learned about Nahaua,” Edér said, and filled him in on what the crew had shared. “On top of all that, we don’t even know where to look for Emiri first, or how guarded she’d be.”

“Even from the little I know of Haefric, he seemed the type to err on the side of caution, perhaps even paranoia,” Aloth mused, raking his fingers through his hair. “If she’s as valuable a prize to him as he claims, I can’t imagine him letting her out of his sight until he has to. He’ll likely keep her  aboard the _ Scarlet Claw _ until whenever he’s planning to sell her.”

“Even if there’s more guards at the auction house?” Edér pointed out skeptically.

“Yes, because he would trust his people more,” Aloth countered. “Whether due to their loyalty or fear of him, he would be more confident in their trustworthiness than anything else, no matter how rigorous the auctions’ screening process for potential guards.”

“Alright, I’m sold,” Edér said with a nod. “So how do we get on the ship, find Emiri, and get out all three of us  _ alive _ ?”

“I think we’re going to have to wing it a bit more than I would truly like,” Aloth acknowledged, which made Edér grin at the reluctance in his voice. “Since we’ve no idea of the ship’s layout or how many crew will still be aboard...”

“We can work out some loose plans, at least,” Edér suggested. “An’ for all we know, ‘Miri might be tryin’ to break her way  _ out  _ while we’re breakin’ _ in. _ ”

“That would work out well, but I don’t want to count on it.” Aloth was biting his lip  _ and _ twisting his ring as he thought. “I’m sure we can make it work…”

“Somehow,” Edér agreed, and they spent the rest of the trip planning, barely leaving the cabin until the ship reached the Nahaua docks.


	8. Chapter 8

Emiri started feeling restless as the day crept toward evening. Shortly after they docked, Haefric had come to her cell, a rat-faced elven man in tow, and made her display what she could do of her cipher abilities before she got to eat. Haefric and the elf had haggled for a while in the hallways, heatedly, before walking away. That had been midmorning, and the only kith she’d seen since then was the man who tromped down the hall and stood outside as a guard. He wouldn’t speak to Emiri, or even acknowledge he heard her attempts to get his attention.

She’d had no choice but to sit back and wait for evening, when the rat-faced elf would return and escort her to his auction house where she would be sold to the highest bidder.

_I have to get out of here. Somehow. And fast._

 <<O>>

 They docked at Nahaua late in the afternoon, and Akamu practically preened as he called out the final orders for securing the ship. “Told you boys I’d get you here fast.”

“You did a marvelous job,” Aloth said gratefully. The wind had been with them today, lending even more speed to the large ship But it had been Akamu’s leadership that had best taken advantage of the favorable conditions. “We cannot thank you enough for that.”

“Just pay me and then try not t’ get yourselves killed,” Akamu said with a wink.

“I think we can handle both of those,” Edér laughed as he handed over a small coin purse containing the agreed upon price.

“Pleasure doin’ business with ya,” Akamu nodded after counting the coins.

“And with you,” Edér returned before he and Aloth headed down the gangplank. Now they just had to find the _Scarlet Claw_ and enact their plan.

<<O>>

Finding it took awhile, as neither of them had actually _seen_ the ship, but the descriptions Edér had gotten when asking around all pointed to a fairly recognizable ship, so it could have been worse. It was bigger than either of them had expected, almost matching Akamu’s ship in size.

“Are you certain about this plan of ours?” Aloth murmured, biting his lip as he surveyed what of the deck was visible from their vantage point. “There’s no telling how many crew are still aboard a ship that size.”

“Yeah.” Edér rolled his shoulders. “Even if it’s a long shot, it’s the only thing we’ve come up with that has a prayer of working. You’ve been all but oozin’ desperation to find ‘Miri this whole time, what’s with balkin’ now?”

“Your repeated point that Emiri will have your hide if anything happens to me. The reverse is also true. And this plan carries a large amount of risk for you.” _Especially not knowing if she’s even here._

“It’s worth it for her. She’s helped _me_ every chance she got,” Edér said with a shrug. “An’ we’re wastin’ time. They aren’t payin’ much attention to the gangplank, and there’s lots of shadows. You sneak about halfway up, then I’ll charge in to distract ‘em, and you scramble belowdecks fast as you can to look for Emiri.”

“Still sounds alarmingly like suicide for you,” Aloth muttered under his breath, watching the ship for any evidence Edér was wrong. He didn’t see any.

“Maybe, maybe not. You find her fast enough, th’ two of you can come back me up, an’ we’ll fight our way off the ship. Should work.”

“Yes, with a lot of prayer and luck.” Neither of which had shown to work in their favor.

“Got a better idea?” Edér challenged. Aloth shook his head. “Then we’re doing this. Be ready.”

It was a terrible plan. But it was the only one they had, so it was better than nothing. _Hopefully,_ Aloth couldn’t help conditioning it as he moved to the spot Edér had pointed out; deeply shadowed and in a blind spot if they had a watchman back from the railing. Hopefully, it was better, hopefully it would work. He nodded in Edér’s direction, not even sure if the man could see him.

Apparently he could, for just a few seconds later, Edér pushed back the hood of his cloak and headed up the gangplank at a dead run.

 _No turning back now,_ Aloth thought grimly. Not that he wanted to. If this was their only shot, he didn’t intend to waste it. After a sufficient delay, he started up the rest of the gangplank, far more stealthily than his companion.

 <<O>>

 Emiri had no idea what the ruckus up on the deck was. There was just enough wood planking in the way, all she could make out was indistinct yelling. She didn’t really care. It was the only chance she was going to get to do something before Rat Face showed up to drag her deeper into Nahaua than she could hope to escape from.

“Hear that commotion up there?” she said to the guard, who stood stone-faced as ever. “You should probably move me away from whatever’s going on. Captain wouldn’t want me getting damaged or stolen this close to a sale, would he?” Emiri pushed the thought with enough power behind it nausea curled in her stomach. He didn’t look convinced. “You should at least look for danger.”

This he did look to be considering, which was good, because she’d put enough into that one she was on the verge of being sick.

“It’s not like I’m going anywhere. What can it hurt to check?” She swallowed a surge of bile rising up her throat and burrowed the thought deeper into his head. _Just go check._

Still without a word--she was beginning to wonder if he was mute--the man turned to head above deck.

Emiri slugged him through the bars on her door. It was a bad angle--which her knuckles and wrist both noted--but a lucky punch. Her fist slammed into just the right spot to drop him like a bag of rocks. Scrambling and not sure how much longer the distraction above would last, Emiri dropped to her knees and reached under the door to try and reach his keyring. The gods must have finally been listening, because not only had he dropped close enough she easily grabbed the keys at his belt, she could also fit her arm between the bars enough to unlock the door. It was an uncomfortable position, her other hand yanked up awkwardly by the chain joining her wrists, but with only a couple tries, she did it. The door swung open. She paused in the hallway to see if one of the other keys on the ring opened her manacles. A voice inside urged _Hurry, hurry,_ but she wanted these things off. The third key she tried out of five fit into the lock and turned with a clunk.

“Yes!” she hissed in quiet triumph, attention off her surroundings just a few seconds too long.

Something hard and somehow both sharp and blunt slammed into her back between her shoulder blades, taking her to her knees. She heard the key snap with a sharp _ting_ as she fell on top of it, just before her head smacked the floor hard and everything doubled.

“I thought you might try somethin’ like this,” a familiar voice chuckled, blurry boots filling her field of vision.

Laki. _No, no, no,_ **_get up_ ** _,_ her brain urged, but Emiri couldn’t. Her ears were ringing, the world rocking harshly side to side, and she couldn’t get things to hold still. She still tried, out of sheer desperation, but Laki slapped her hard across the face, and back down she went. This time she landed on her halo and cried out in pain as the growth bent from the pressure.

“Haefric wouldn’t be happy if his prize got away,” Laki taunted, standing over her. “So close, _moonchild._ ” He kicked her arm as she pushed shakily to hands and knees. “So **_fucking_ ** close.”

“Get away from her!”

 _I must’ve hit my head harder than I thought,_ Emiri mused wryly as the world faded in and out. _I’m hearing dead people again…._

 <<O>>

 Aloth stood at the base of the stairs, fury hot in his veins and fingers edging toward his grimoire even though he _knew_ that would be a bad idea. The lanky blond standing over Emiri whirled at his shouted demand, one hand going to the dagger- _-_ **_my_ ** _dagger_ \--at his belt. Even with his attention elsewhere Emiri still curled into a tighter ball, head tucking in and knees pulling up in a position Aloth knew far, far too well. All the care he’d put into suppressing Iselmyr over the last several years burned to ash at an outside view of a painfully familiar scenario.

 _“Finally time tae crack some heads, then?”_ her voice egged at the back of his mind.

 _Just one_ , he retorted firmly as her rage thrummed alongside his at the sight of Emiri.

 _“Ach, yer still nae fun, lad,”_ Iselmyr huffed.

Laki had stepped closer by now, eyes narrowing as he stared at Aloth. “I thought I killed you.”

It was Iselmyr who smirked in response, but Aloth let her have this one. _“I‘d tell ya tae try harder this time, but I dinnae think it’ll help.”_

Laki drew both the dagger and his own saw toothed blade in response to the taunt. But Aloth (Iselmyr? He wasn’t sure which of them was driving his actions at the moment) was faster, flipping open his grimoire and channeling the first spell it opened to. Something by Ninagauth, he noticed vaguely as a too-late caution sang in his head and pain shot through his side.

 _“Y’ dinnae mention ye were injured!”_ Iselmyr groused as the spell built, sparking purple and white.

 _And when was I supposed to do that, exactly?_ Aloth shot back, focus largely on the spell. It crescendoed and he channeled the energy toward Laki even as the man braced himself to lunge. There was just enough space still between them to recognize the spell as it leapt from his fingertips and to watch Laki’s expression change from almost manic determination to stunned shock about a split second before the spell slammed into his chest.

He stumbled back, weaving drunkenly for a moment before collapsing where he stood, sightless eyes fixed on the ceiling. A shimmering purple spectre briefly appeared over the corpse before fading into the ether.

Aloth stood there for a moment, breathing hard less from exertion and more to work through the pain radiating from his side _. I knew this was going to be a bad idea._

 _“Ah, you’ll be fine,”_ Iselmyr assured him. _“Now what?”_

 _Now you go back,_ he replied bracing for her indignation.

It wasn’t long coming _. “Fye, and ye just let me out!”_

 _I… that wasn’t intentional._ Aloth sighed as he stooped to reclaim his dagger from where Laki had dropped it. _We can discuss it more later. Right now, I would like to be the one to comfort my friend._

 _“Ah, fine, but y’ owe me,”_ Iselmyr relented, quickly fading to the background until he could almost believe she’d never emerged at all.

After the crackle of a spell and thump of a falling body were followed with silence, Emiri had started to slowly uncurl from her fetal position. Aloth moved quickly as he dared to kneel in front of her, heart tightening at the welt across her cheek. “Emiri?”


	9. Chapter 9

_ I’m dreaming. I’m dreaming, I  _ **_have_ ** _ to be dreaming, _ Emiri told herself upon hearing the achingly familiar voice. _ I’m concussed- _

Fingers brushed her cheek just below where Laki had slapped her.

_ Well, _ **_that’s_ ** _ real.  _ Her head swiveled up fast enough to make the world swim again. She waited for the triplicates in front of her to resolve into a single dark-haired elf. “A… Al-Aloth?” She shied away from his touch. “You’re… you were  _ dead. _ H-How are you…?”

He smiled, lowered his hand to take hers and press it against his arm. Warm. Solid.  _ Real.  _ “Not dead. Very nearly, but not qu-”

Emiri didn’t let him finish before she yanked him into a fervent, almost bruising hug, arms tight around him. “Gods, I never… I thought…” She didn’t finish either sentence, her heart too full. She reluctantly loosened her grip and sat back, looking him over. “You look more than a bit of a mess.”

Aloth shrugged. “I might not be dead, but I  _ did  _ get stabbed,” he said, almost apologetically.  “Also, I’ve spent the last two weeks worrying myself sick about you, which likely didn’t help.”

“Well, you don’t need to do that anymore,” she said as they both got to their feet. “You found me. Just in time, too.” 

Aloth nodded, biting his lip. “We were worried about that. Hence the bare bones rescue plan.”

She raised an eyebrow. “We? Who else…?”

“Edér.  You mentioned where you were staying,” he reminded her. “He’s largely why I’m not dead. For multiple reasons.”

“Is he responsible for that ruckus up on deck?” Emiri asked as they started towards the stairs.

“Yes. He’d probably appreciate some help.” Aloth gestured to the manacle still locked around Emiri’s wrist, the chain and its open twin dragging behind her. “Any chance you can get those all the way off?”

She shook her head. “No, unfortunately. The key snapped when Laki knocked me down. It’s stuck in the lock.”

“Mm. More’s the pity...”

She had to agree with him on that. “We can figure it out later. For now, we help Edér and get out of here.”

Aloth gave a single nod. “I’m with you.”

Emiri couldn’t help grinning in giddy relief at that, even as they emerged on deck to a scene of utter chaos.

Edér had gotten himself a reasonably good position, back against crates too tall to be climbed easily, allowing him to narrow his focus somewhat. A half dozen dead or wounded pirates lay on the deck, but an equal number still paced, looking for openings where they could do damage with minimal risk to themselves. Emiri could see a couple had already gotten close; Edér had cuts along his cheek and high on one arm.

Emiri glanced at Aloth, flicking a brief look at his side. “How much d’you think you can do?”

“We’ll find out, won’t we?” he replied, reaching for his grimoire.

She stopped him with a hand on his arm. “Please don’t push yourself too hard. I just spent two weeks thinking you were dead. I  _ really _ don’t want to watch it become reality.”

“Noted. I know my limits,” Aloth promised, flashing her a reassuring smile.

“Hey, little help?” Edér hollered, smacking away an encroaching pirate with his shield. The man fell overboard with a scream.

“We’re coming!” Emiri hollered back. She flicked around the dangling chain so she could grasp it properly.  _ Makes as good a weapon as any. Poetic, too. _ The links flashed with the light of her soul whip and she grinned as she started across the deck to join Edér. Apparently the manacles both needed to be fastened to dampen her abilities. The chain hummed through the air as she spun it for some momentum before cracking it into the skull of the nearest pirate. The woman dropped without a sound, and Emiri didn’t even check if she was dead or merely unconscious as she moved past to stand next to Edér.

“Good to see ya,” he grinned, blocking an attack from one of the pirates and slashing open the man’s chest.

“You, too,” Emiri nodded, bringing her powers to bear on an advancing pair of humans, convincing them they were surrounded by far more enemies. When they hesitated, she took down one with a well-placed hit from the chain. A lance of necrotic energy hit the other in the back and he crumpled as well.

Now with a path free of enemies, Aloth crossed the deck to stand with Emiri and Edér. “I don’t know how much more  clear the way out will get. We may want to head in that direction,” he suggested.

“He’s got a point,” Edér said, swiping blood from the cut on his cheek. “If we wanna go, now’s the time.”

Even as he spoke, another five emerged from the hatch belowdecks, led by a very familiar one eyed redhead. Haefric’s eye narrowed at the carnage and he glared daggers at Emiri. “You  _ bitch _ !”

“Yeah, we might want to go now,” Emiri muttered. Normally she would leap at the chance to prevent Haefric from terrorizing anyone else the way he had her. But her head was still aching from her run in with Laki, Edér was worn out, Aloth was fighting injured, if they fought him now it likely wouldn’t end well. As if by one accord the three of them started for the gangplank.

Haefric charged toward them with a growled,  _ “Oh, no you don’t!” _ , his cronies not far behind. He bulled straight into Emiri, the others splitting between Edér and Aloth.

Still slightly dizzy from the earlier hits to her head, Emiri’s balance was off, and Haefric easily knocked her to the deck. This time, at least, she was able to control the fall enough her shoulders took the brunt of the impact. She heard the cries of alarm from her friends, both too busy with their own fights to help her as Haefric’s hands found her throat.

“No!” She flailed out wildly with one arm, felt her elbow make contact, something crack under the impact. 

But Haefric simply grunted in pain and didn’t give up, clearly determined to subdue her in saleable condition, even as blood streamed down his face.

_I would rather die._ Driven by panic as her vision started speckling, Emiri did the only thing she could think of: whipped the chain around his neck, looped the excess around her hand, and started pulling. _I’m not going back again, I’m not, I’m not, I’m_ ** _not._** She was dimly aware of the clamor around them; Edér taking on three at once, the ghostly whisk of spectral blades slicing through the pair fighting Aloth, but her attention was quickly pulled back to her own struggle as Haefric’s grip loosened fractionally.

_ Now, Emiri.  _ **_Now_ ** _. _ The thought blazed through her mind with white hot urgency and she listened. With an almost frantic wrenching twist, she flipped their positions, pinning Haefric to the deck with a knee against his chest. His grip on her throat loosened a bit more as he gagged, and Emiri knocked one of his arms away with her elbow.

“I just wanted to get  _ away _ from you!” she hissed between clenched teeth. “Why couldn’t you just let me  _ leave _ ?!” She punctuated the words with a hard, sharp, two-handed yank.

Haefric convulsed, the hand still on her neck tightening briefly in his death throes, and then fell limp.

Emiri dropped the chain, coughing and gasping for breath as her vision cleared. She gave a half-hearted tug to free it from Haefric’s corpse. Only part of her regretted that it had come to this.

“‘Miri.” Edér rested a hand on her arm, waited for her to recognize it was him, and gave an encouraging tug. “C’mon, we should get goin’ b‘fore more of ‘em show up.”

“Uh-huh.” She tugged the chain the rest of the way free and shakily got to her feet, heart pounding. Edér slipped a supportive arm around her waist and she shot him a grateful smile. “Thank you.”

“No problem,” he said as they headed for the gangplank. “Just glad I don’t hafta carry both of ya.”

“I heard that!” Aloth interjected as he fell in step alongside them, limping slightly as he favored his injured side. “You wouldn’t have needed to carry me.”

“If you pushed yourself too hard I woulda,” Edér contradicted good naturedly. “An’ with how worked up you had yourself about findin’ her, that was a real concern.”

Aloth was quiet for a moment before nodding. “Alright, I will give you that.”

Exhausted and relieved, the three of them lapsed into silence as they walked away, leaving the ship and her dead behind.  They’d made a few minutes’ progress when something occurred to Emiri. “So…. how’re we getting off Nahaua?”

Edér and Aloth exchanged a look before the latter shrugged gingerly. “We… may know someone.”

<<O>>

Fortunately for them, the  _ Whitecrest  _ was still docked at the island, and Akamu was more than happy to give them passage to his next stop. Thanks to the supplies unloaded on Nahaua, he even had a larger cabin they could use to spare one of them sleeping on the floor.

Given her recent experiences, Emiri appreciated that. She’d appreciate even more when they reached the next island--she’d missed the name--and she could sleep in a real bed and bathe. At least Edér had been kind enough to lug her pack along with him and Aloth while they were tracking her down, so she could change into clothes that didn’t smell like sea water and sweat. She tugged on her tunic to adjust it as she returned to their cabin. She’d used a different room to change, largely so Aloth and Edér(mostly Aloth) wouldn’t worry about how gingerly she’d had to guide the old tunic off and the new one on around her halo. It still hurt from when she landed on it. Part of her wondered if it was cracked, but she was too scared to check.

_ Wouldn’t that just be fabulous? _ she groused to herself as she rubbed her wrists and pushed open the door to their cabin. They’d had to resort to a hammer and chisel wielded by Akamu’s first mate to get the remaining manacle off. He’d done a good job, but as she knew from experience, pinching and bruising was inevitable with that method.

“You alright?” Edér asked, breaking her reverie. He was sitting on his bunk, carefully cleaning and polishing his sabre, the mail shirt he’d been wearing earlier laying next to him to await its turn.

“Hm? Oh, yes,” Emiri smiled, flexing her wrist. “Just still a bit sore. But that’s to be expected, isn’t it?”

Edér chuckled and nodded. “True. An’ I suppose it coulda been a lot worse, right? Considerin’ our odds.”

“Oh, yes, much. And I’m glad to see you didn’t pay too high a cost for that distraction you caused.” She sat on the floor next to his bed, not trusting it to hold them both, and reached for the mail shirt and a rag to start spot cleaning it. “Thank you. For… for the rescue, for keeping Aloth from pushing himself too hard, for coming with me to Deadfire in the first place, and just… you know, everything.”

He laughed. “Mighty inclusive thank you. You’d’ve done the same for any of us. An’ keepin’ Aloth from goin’ too fast was purely self-preservation; you wouldn’t ever let me hear the end of it if I let anything happen to him.”

“...You’re right, I wouldn’t’ve,” Emiri said with a sheepish smile, concentrating on the cleaning job. “Where is he, anyway?”

“Convinced him to let the ship’s doctor make sure he’s alright, with all the casting he wound up havin’ to do. He’s still healin’ and neither of us were expecting him to have to do quite that much.” Edér swiped his rag down the length of the sabre’s blade one last time, nodded in satisfaction and set it aside. “He didn’t exactly protest, so I have a feeling he woulda done it on his own even if I hadn’t suggested it.”

“Still, that’s another thing to thank you for,” she murmured, and then shot him a smile rife with amusement. “How in the world did you wind up playing surrogate big brother to someone three decades older than you, anyway?”

Edér shrugged and grinned back. “I fill the role I’m needed for, I guess. Within reason, at least.”

“Nice save with that caveat,” Emiri laughed. “But thank you, truly, for everything you’ve done. I’ll try to repay you by tracking down Eothas as quickly as possible, for some answers and whatever else we can get from Him.”

He chuckled and ran one hand through his hair. “Oh, right, we still gotta do that. No rest for the wicked, huh?”

It was Emiri’s turn to shrug. “It probably won’t hurt to take a couple days off when  we get to this island Akamu’s headed for, long as it’s nice…”

“We’ve definitely earned a break of some kind,” Edér agreed with a smile. He leaned over to stow the cleaning supplies in his pack and shot her a bemused look. “Hey, ‘Miri, did you know your halo thing’s got a crack in it?”

She was torn between giggling at his tone and glowering at the confirmation.  _ Fabulous. _ “I… may have suspected, yes.”

<<O>>

It took a very long time for Emiri to fall asleep that night, worried that the last few hours had only been a dream. But she woke in the morning still free, still sporting the bumps and bruises picked up on the way to that freedom, still with her friends, and breathed easier. She shuffled up on deck, pleasantly surprised she would be able to watch the sun rise, as she’d beaten it awake this morning. 

She had not, on the other hand, beaten Aloth, and she frowned slightly as she moved to join him on the crate he’d chosen as a perch. “You sleep alright?”

He flinched slightly, startled back to the present out of wherever he’d been. “Mm, for the most part. I moved wrong about an hour ago and couldn’t get back to sleep. I didn’t wish to wake either of you, so I came up here instead.”

“Yes, because you make so much noise,” Emiri deadpanned, which earned her a wry smile from her friend. “I’m glad you’re alright. I’d have chased you onto the Wheel itself to give you an earful if you’d pushed too hard, I hope you realize.”

“I do,”  Aloth said. His hand tightened briefly around the object laid across his palm before he turned to hand it to her. “By the way, I believe this is yours.”

She caught the flash of adra-green and silver even before she had an unobstructed view. “I can’t believe you found it.” She ran her thumb over the beads before leaning over to give him a hug. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, but it’s not as if it was any grand feat,” he insisted. “It was right there in the alley. It’s not as if I had to track it down.”

Emiri pulled back, squinted at him suspiciously in the pre-dawn dimness, and looked more closely at the bracelet in the soft light emitted by her halo. Amid the expected dinginess from her having worn it constantly for five years, she could make out reddish brown stains in a few places. “Is that...?”  _ Your blood? _

Aloth nodded sheepishly, twisting a ring as the wind ruffled his hair. “I tried to clean it,” he said apologetically, “but by the time I got a chance, it had set for the most part.”

“You-” Emiri stopped, sighed out a short breath through her nose. “You’re telling me that while you were bleeding to death in an alley, you still noticed and picked up something that you knew was important to me for nostalgic keepsake-y reasons, held on to it to give back, and all you’re focused on is that you couldn’t get out the bloodstains? This on top of traveling halfway across the blazing archipelago to rescue me from pirates while still healing from said near-mortal injury?” She reached over and squeezed his hand. “What did I do to deserve a friend like you?”

“Helped me far more than most anyone else would have,” he replied. “Are you really surprised I’m willing to do the same for you?” He smiled faintly and nodded at the trio of bracelets tied around her wrist. “Though it doesn’t appear you need it anymore…”

Emiri snorted. “You really think that’ll stop me from fixing it and wearing it again anyway? That’s the nice thing about these bracelets; you can wear more than one at a time.” She pulled her hand free of his to give her wrist a shake and exhibit the truth of her statement.

“I stand corrected,” Aloth said with a smile, watching her finger the woven band. “I have to admit, I’m glad to hear it. That… gave me clarity. Reminded me you needed help and kept me on my feet long enough to make it to Edér.”

Emiri blinked, paused to swallow the lump in her throat. “Now I feel like you should have it.”

“No, it’s yours.” He shook his head. “We found you. I don’t need the reminder or the reassurance anymore.”

She hugged him again. “I still can’t believe…” Welling emotion and too much to say cut off her words and she bit her lip to keep it from spilling out as a flood of tears instead.

Aloth chuckled softly as he returned the hug. “I know.”

    <<O>>

The sun peeked over the horizon then, and they both fell silent as they sat and watched the light of a new day play over the waves in a fantastically beautiful display. In that moment, Emiri was more sure than ever that she could handle whatever life or the gods threw at her, no matter how unexpected.

As long as she had her friends.


End file.
